Explosions were reported in several capitals around the Gulf on Saturday, 28 February as air defence systems engaged incoming projectiles.
Al Fars News Agency said that Iran targeted multiple U.S. military installations across the Gulf, as missile and drone launches triggered explosions, airspace closures and regional flight suspensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
According to Iran’s Fars news agency, the sites targeted included Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in UAE, and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet base in Manama, Bahrain.
UAE Confirms Fatality
The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted a number of Iranian ballistic missiles but confirmed one death after shrapnel fell on a residential area in Abu Dhabi.
In a statement reported by regional media, the Emirati defence ministry said the debris caused material damage and killed a person of Asian nationality. It condemned the attack as a “dangerous escalation” and a “cowardly act,” stressing that targeting civilian facilities represents a flagrant violation of sovereignty and international law.
The ministry added that the UAE “reserves its full right to respond” and is fully prepared to confront any threats.
Residents in Abu Dhabi and Dubai reported loud blasts while Kuwait also reported explosions and temporarily closed its airspace. Earlier, the UAE had announced a “temporary and partial” airspace closure as an exceptional precaution.
Bahrain Calls Strikes ‘Treacherous’
Bahrain confirmed that sites and facilities on its soil were targeted, describing the incidents as “treacherous attacks” and a blatant violation of its sovereignty and security.
Statements carried by Al Jazeera said the attacks posed a direct threat to the kingdom’s citizens and residents.
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attacks
Saudi Arabia has condemned in the “strongest terms” the Iranian attacks on the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Kuwait.
The Kingdom warned of “dire consequences” over the continued violation of “state sovereignty and the principles of international law,” highlighting regional alarm at the escalation.
Explosions in Doha
In Doha, a Reuters witness reported multiple explosions. The U.S. embassy in Qatar urged American citizens to take cover due to an incoming missile threat.
Meanwhile, Al Arabiya reported on X that a sound of an explosion was heard in Riyadh. However, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia said there had been no explosions in Riyadh.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted two missiles that entered its airspace, highlighting the broader regional risk.
Kuwait Condemns Iranian Attacks
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned recent attacks on its territory, describing them as a blatant violation of both its airspace and international law. The ministry emphasized that Kuwait reserves the right to respond “in a manner commensurate with the scale and nature of this attack,” cautioning that further military actions could destabilize the region.
Escalation Widens Conflict
The missile launches followed the United States and Israel launching coordinated military strikes against targets inside Iran on Saturday 28 February. President Donald Trump said the strikes were aimed at neutralizing an imminent threat.
The escalation follows renewed U.S.–Iran negotiations in February aimed at resolving the longstanding dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. Those recent diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran failed, with indirect talks in Geneva collapsing without a breakthrough to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
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