Drones landed near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, injuring four people, while several vessels were struck in or close to the Strait of Hormuz as Iran pressed ahead with attacks disrupting oil markets as well as air and maritime transport.
The oil-rich Gulf region has borne the brunt of the strikes launched by Iran in retaliation for attacks by the United States and Israel that ignited the wider Middle East conflict. Tehran has largely targeted American assets but civilian infrastructure has also been affected.
Iran has also struck energy facilities across the Gulf and hindered shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that typically carries nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply, leading to sharp fluctuations in global oil prices.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a container vessel and a bulk carrier were struck off the coast of the United Arab Emirates — one near Dubai and another near the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah — by unidentified projectiles.
A third ship was also hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman within the Strait of Hormuz. The attack triggered a fire on board, which was later extinguished, the UKMTO reported.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones aimed at the Shaybah oil field, a key site for the kingdom’s oil production. Explosions were also heard over Qatar while the United Arab Emirates reported additional attacks.
Saudi authorities further disclosed that seven ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom’s eastern region and the Prince Sultan Air Base were intercepted. The base had earlier recorded the death of an American service member on March 1.
Tehran appears to be attempting to disable major Gulf refineries while tightening its grip on shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to maximise economic pressure on the global market.
In recent days, facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco at the Ras Tanura refinery — one of the largest refineries in the Middle East — were targeted. The Ruwais refinery in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s largest refining complexes, also came under attack.
The strikes have already forced QatarEnergy, a state-owned energy company and one of the world’s biggest producers of liquefied natural gas, to suspend production last week and declare force majeure.
Energy producers in Kuwait have issued similar declarations, warning that circumstances beyond their control could prevent them from meeting export commitments.