lran has continued launching missile and drone attacks across parts of the Gulf region, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, despite earlier assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian that neighbouring countries would not be targeted unless they were directly involved in attacks against Tehran.
Gatekeepers News reports that authorities in Dubai confirmed that a resident was killed on Saturday after debris from an intercepted aerial attack struck a vehicle in the Al Barsha district of the city. Officials said the victim, identified only as an Asian driver, died after fragments from a missile interception fell onto the road during the defensive response to incoming threats.
The incident occurred shortly after the United Arab Emirates activated its air defence systems to counter what it described as “incoming missile and drone threats” originating from Iran. Fighter jets and missile defence units were deployed to intercept several aerial projectiles heading toward the country.
The attacks are part of a broader wave of retaliatory strikes by Iran against American military installations across the Gulf. Iranian forces have reportedly targeted locations hosting United States troops in countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE. The operations were described by Tehran as a response to what it called “pre-emptive” military strikes carried out earlier by the United States and Israel.
Hours before the latest incidents, Pezeshkian had apologised to neighbouring countries affected by the conflict and said Iranian forces had been instructed to avoid targeting them unless attacks against Iran were launched from their territories.
However, shortly after his remarks, Qatar’s ministry of defence announced that its air defence units had successfully intercepted a missile fired toward the country. The UAE also reported further alerts of incoming projectiles later in the evening.
In Saudi Arabia, the defence ministry said a ballistic missile was launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base near the city of Al-Kharj. Officials said the projectile eventually landed in an uninhabited area, preventing casualties or damage.
Iranian officials insist the operations are aimed at US military facilities in the region rather than the host countries themselves. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s parliament and the national security and foreign policy commission, said Tehran had earlier warned regional governments that any American military action against Iran would result in strikes on US bases in the Middle East.
He maintained that such bases are considered American territory and therefore legitimate targets during the ongoing confrontation.
Despite these assurances, some Gulf countries have complained that Iranian attacks have affected civilian areas and infrastructure. Reports from Qatar indicated that facilities including hotels, airports and oil-related infrastructure had been impacted by previous strikes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later released a statement saying Iran respects the sovereignty and interests of neighbouring countries but would continue targeting the military assets of the United States and Israel in the region.
Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that any country allowing its land, airspace or resources to be used against Iran could become a target. According to him, states that refrain from supporting military operations against Tehran will remain secure.
The rising tensions have triggered concern among Gulf governments. Diplomats say several countries in the region had already communicated to Iran that their territories and airspace would not be used for attacks against it.
Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council are expected to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the escalating security situation and its potential impact on regional stability.
