Iran unleashed a sweeping barrage of missiles and drones across the Middle East late Saturday night, striking Israeli and American targets and sending shockwaves through Gulf cities.
The attacks came only hours after Tehran vowed retaliation over the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes inside Iran.
Explosions were reported in Dubai and over Doha in Qatar, alarming residents across the region. Both nations are key partners of Washington, and Tehran’s move was widely seen as a warning to neighbouring states against aligning with the United States and Israel.
IRGC Claims Major Hits On US Military Assets
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the assault formed part of the fifth phase of “Operation True Promise” and targeted American military logistics.
According to the IRGC, a vessel at Jebel Ali anchorage carrying ammunition for US naval forces was struck by four drones and “completely disabled with damage and explosions.”
The group further claimed extensive damage to a US military installation in Kuwait.
“The American naval base in the Abdullah Mubarak area of Kuwait was hit by 4 ballistic missiles and 12 drones, and all the infrastructure was destroyed, and a large number of American forces were killed and injured. Also, the MST-class combat support ship, which was carrying fuel for American vessels in the Indian Ocean, was hit by Iranian Qadr 380 missiles,” it said.
The statement ended with a stark warning: “The IRGC Navy, along with the air force, will keep the gates of hell open to enemy units.”
Gulf Cities Shaken, Dubai Airport Shut
Iranian strikes also hit civilian and strategic locations in the UAE. Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, was forced to suspend operations after hostilities intensified.
Earlier attacks reportedly targeted the Palm Jumeirah island development and the Burj Al Arab luxury hotel complex, underscoring the widening scope of the conflict beyond military facilities.
Residents across the Gulf reported air-defence activity, sirens and panic buying as fears of a broader regional war grew.
What Triggered The Escalation
The retaliation followed “Operation Epic Fury”, a joint US-Israel aerial campaign conducted a day earlier. The strikes hit multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, after negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme collapsed and Western intelligence claimed Tehran had resumed nuclear activity.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989, was killed in those strikes. Iranian leadership quickly vowed revenge.
In a message posted on Telegram, the IRGC declared: “The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation for a severe, decisive and regrettable punishment for the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah will not let go of them.”
The group also promised the response would be the “most ferocious offensive operation in history” against the United States and Israel.
Global Alarm And Calls For Ceasefire
The rapidly expanding confrontation has prompted urgent international appeals. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate halt to the fighting and warned of “grave consequences” for global security.
The European Union and Russia also urged restraint, fearing the conflict could spiral into a region-wide war affecting energy markets, international shipping routes and global stability.