Iran strikes Dubai, Saudi Arabia despite assurances to spare neighbours
Iran has continued launching missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, despite assurances by President Masoud Pezeshkian that Tehran would avoid targeting neighbouring countries unless attacks against Iran originated from their territories.
A resident of Dubai died on Saturday after debris from an intercepted aerial strike struck a vehicle in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Dubai media office said the incident occurred in the Al Barsha area and identified the victim only as an Asian driver.
The incident took place in the evening as the UAE confirmed it was responding to “incoming missile and drone threats from Iran”.
Iran has been carrying out missile and drone strikes against several US military bases across Gulf nations including Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, describing the attacks as retaliation for the “pre-emptive” strikes carried out by the United States and Israel last Saturday.
Earlier, Pezeshkian apologised to neighbouring countries affected by the attacks and stated that the Iranian armed forces had been instructed “not to attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first”.
However, just hours after that statement, Qatar’s ministry of defence announced that its forces had “intercepted” a missile strike. Another attack later in the UAE resulted in the death of the Dubai resident.
Officials said air defence systems were deployed to intercept ballistic missiles, while fighter jets were used to target drones and other airborne threats. The attack came shortly after alerts about incoming Iranian strikes were issued in the UAE.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry revealed that a ballistic missile had been fired toward Prince Sultan Air Base near the city of Al-Kharj, although it reportedly landed in an “unpopulated area”.
‘COMPLICIT COUNTRIES WILL BE TARGETS’
Iran insists that the strikes do not violate the sovereignty of Gulf countries, maintaining that the attacks are directed strictly at US military bases.
“Before the start of the ‘Ramadan war’, we clearly announced to each and every country in the region that if America takes military action against Iran, we will definitely target American bases; these bases are considered American territory and not the territory of the countries in the region; this policy has not changed in any way and will continue with determination,” said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission.
Despite this claim, some Gulf states — including Qatar — have complained that Iranian strikes have also affected oil refineries, hotels, and airports.
Following Pezeshkian’s remarks, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement saying Iran’s military “respect the interests and national sovereignty of neighbouring countries and have not yet attacked them”.
“However, in the continuation of previous offensive actions, all military bases and interests of the criminal America and the fake Zionist regime on land, sea and space in the region will be subjected to crushing and fierce blows by the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC added.
Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesperson for the Iranian military, also stated that countries that do not allow their land, airspace, or resources to be used against Iran will remain safe.
He warned that any nation permitting its territory or airspace to be used for attacks on Iran would be treated as a legitimate target.
Tensions among Gulf states have reportedly intensified, as several governments insist they had clearly informed Tehran that their US bases and airspace would not be used in American military operations against Iran.
Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council are expected to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the escalating situation.