In an unprecedented development not seen since Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Gulf states now find themselves at the center of a direct missile confrontation whose geographic scope and intensity exceed even the experience of some of these countries with the Iraqi Scud missiles launched by Saddam Hussein during his forced expulsion from Kuwait.
Following the start of the joint U.S.–Israeli attack on Iran, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched extensive missile attacks targeting several U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Reports also spoke of explosions heard in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
As a precautionary measure, Gulf states closed their airspace to civilian air traffic, activated warning sirens, and issued alerts urging residents to remain indoors and seek shelter.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing powerful explosions in several areas of the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, including Al Dhafra, Al Bateen, and the Corniche, resulting in the death of a civilian. While the UAE announced that it had intercepted ballistic missiles, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty,” stressing that the country reserves the right to respond.
In Bahrain, columns of smoke rose from the Juffair area, which hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Bahraini authorities confirmed that the Fleet Services Center had been hit by a missile attack, though the scale of the damage and whether there were civilian or military casualties remained unclear.
In Qatar, the Ministry of Defense announced that Patriot air defense systems had successfully intercepted Iranian missiles targeting the vicinity of Al Udeid Air Base, confirming that no material damage had occurred, while urging residents to remain in safe locations.
Kuwait was not spared from the escalation. The Kuwaiti military engaged hostile targets in its airspace amid the activation of warning sirens and a temporary suspension of air traffic. In a related development, the Associated Press reported hearing explosions in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, coinciding with a state of maximum alert at U.S. bases in Prince Sultan and Arifjan.
U.S. military bases are spread across most Gulf countries, foremost among them Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military hub in the region. It hosts around 10,000 troops and serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.
In Bahrain, the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based in the Juffair area and is responsible for securing vital maritime routes from the Gulf to the Red Sea. In the UAE, Al Dhafra Air Base stands out as a key center for reconnaissance and aerial combat missions, supported by Jebel Ali Port, the largest port servicing the U.S. Navy in the Middle East.
In Kuwait, Camp Arifjan serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central Command, alongside Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Buehring, which function as logistical launch points and support units for operations in Iraq and Syria.
Finally, the U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia is primarily concentrated at Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts more than 2,300 troops and provides advanced air defense capabilities, including Patriot batteries and the THAAD missile defense system.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
