Kuwait City/Dubai: Gulf countries faced new waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Sunday as the conflict entered its second week, with Tehran vowing to keep striking targets in the region despite a presidential apology to neighbors earlier on Saturday.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry reported responding to hostile drones entering its airspace. The Public Authority for Civil Aviation said fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport suffered a direct drone hit, as quoted by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
Kuwait’s national oil company announced a precautionary cut in crude oil production due to attacks and threats to the Strait of Hormuz, a key international oil shipping route.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted and destroyed 21 drones in four hours. Spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki posted on X that 13 were downed east of Riyadh and eight just after entering Saudi airspace.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting 10 ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles from Iran on Saturday with no casualties.
Reports said explosions echoed late Saturday in Dubai, Doha and Bahrain’s Manama, hitting UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.
Iran’s president had apologised for earlier strikes, saying Gulf states would not be targeted unless they launched attacks first. Soon after, however,
Iran stated it would continue strikes on sites “at the disposal of the enemy.”
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan addressed the nation on TV, declaring the Emirates in “a period of war” and vowing they “will emerge stronger.”
In Dubai, a Pakistani national died from debris following an aerial interception. The main airport was shutdown briefly after authorities said an unidentified object was intercepted nearby leading to Emirates airline temporarily halting flights for sometime. Authorities called it “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception,” with no injuries.
The UAE, home to American military installations, has seen intense action. Its Defense Ministry said it downed 16 of 17 ballistic missiles and 119 of 121 drones on Saturday.
With this the total number of ballistic missiles detected by the UAE since the start of the war to 221, the defense ministry said, with the number of drones surpassing 1,300.
Earlier strikes damaged Abu Dhabi airport, Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and caused a fire at Dubai’s US consulate from drone debris, reports said.
Qatar stopped two more missiles on Saturday. Bahrain intercepted 92 missiles and 151 drones overall; one person was hurt by rocket shrapnel in Manama, where AFP journalists heard an explosion.
Saudi forces destroyed three ballistic missiles headed toward Prince Sultan Air Base, hosting US troops, and 17 drones over Shaybah oil field.
Kuwait downed seven drones Saturday, with only debris damage.
Jordan accused Iran of 119 direct strikes. Military spokesman Brig Gen Mustafa Hayari said: “These missiles and drones were targeting vital installations inside Jordan and were not passing through our territories.”