Gulf under fire: Iran’s attacks escalate as US-Israeli conflict with Tehran enters third week

GCC 16-03-2026 | 12:27

Gulf under fire: Iran’s attacks escalate as US-Israeli conflict with Tehran enters third week

Saudi Arabia and UAE intercept dozens of drones and missiles, while the UN calls for immediate halt to Iranian aggression threatening Gulf security and international shipping.
Gulf under fire: Iran’s attacks escalate as US-Israeli conflict with Tehran enters third week
Buildings in Riyadh. (AFP)
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The Iranian attacks on the Gulf states continue as the American‑Israeli war against Iran enters its third week.

 

Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has intercepted over 60 drones across its territory since midnight Monday (21:00 GMT on Sunday), according to figures released by the Ministry of Defense.

 

The ministry reported in separate posts on X that all of these drones were intercepted in the eastern part of the country.

 

United Arab Emirates

Separately, the UAE Ministry of Defense said that air defenses dealt with missile and drone attacks coming from Iran.

 

 

Dubai. (AFP)
Dubai. (AFP)

 

It explained on X that the sounds heard in various parts of the country are the result of air defenses intercepting ballistic missiles, and fighter jets intercepting drones and cruise missiles.

 

Earlier, Dubai authorities announced that a fire caused by a drone attack near Dubai International Airport was extinguished, with no injuries reported.

 

 

The Dubai Government Media Office said on X that the drone incident near Dubai International Airport affected one of the fuel tanks.

 

 

In another incident, the Abu Dhabi Media Office stated that the competent authorities dealt with a missile strike on a civilian car in the Al-Bahia area, which resulted in the death of one Palestinian national.

 

Last Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution demanding the "immediate cessation" of Iranian attacks on the Gulf states and Jordan.

 

The text of the resolution condemns "any action or threat" by Iran "aimed at closing, obstructing, or interfering in any way with international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

 

Thirteen Security Council members supported the resolution, while two—Russia and China—abstained.

 

One hundred thirty-five United Nations member states supported the text presented by Bahrain, along with other Gulf Cooperation Council members—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and Qatar—as well as Jordan.

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