DUBAI: Tensions across the Gulf region intensified on Friday as a series of missile and drone strikes by Iran targeted multiple countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain.
The attacks have prompted heightened security measures, air defence interceptions, and emergency responses across the region.
UAE air defences intercept nine ballistic missiles
The UAE Ministry of Defence said the country’s air defence systems detected nine ballistic missiles on Friday, all of which were successfully intercepted and destroyed.
According to the ministry, air defence units also detected 112 drones, intercepting 109 of them, while three drones fell within the country’s territory.
Since the start of what authorities described as Iranian attacks, a total of 205 ballistic missiles have been detected, with 190 intercepted and destroyed. Thirteen missiles fell into the sea, while two landed within the territory of the United Arab Emirates.
UAE air defences intercept 9 ballistic missiles, 109 drones
The UAE Ministry of Defence announced that the country’s air defence systems detected 9 ballistic missiles today (6th March 2026), all of which were intercepted and destroyed.
The ministry also reported the detection… pic.twitter.com/E9WHz7AEpC
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 6, 2026
Over the same period, the country’s defence systems detected 1,184 drones, intercepting 1,110 of them, while 74 drones fell inside the country. Authorities also detected and destroyed eight cruise missiles.
The attacks resulted in three fatalities — nationals of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh — and left 112 people with minor injuries.
Those affected included individuals of Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian and Turkish nationalities.
The Ministry of Defence said it remains fully prepared to counter any threats and will continue to respond firmly to attempts aimed at undermining the country’s security, while safeguarding the UAE’s sovereignty, stability and national interests.
Explosions reported in the Kuwaiti capital
Explosions were reported on Friday in the Kuwaiti capital, Kuwait City, as authorities confirmed that they were responding to multiple missile and drone strikes targeting the country.
Emergency services were quickly deployed to assess the damage and ensure the safety of residents, while air defence units worked to intercept incoming threats amid growing regional tensions.
“Kuwaiti air defenses are currently dealing with missile and drone attacks that penetrated Kuwaiti airspace,” the defense ministry said on X, after authorities said 67 soldiers were injured in Iranian strikes over the past week.
US Prepares to Escort Ships through Strait of Hormuz
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Friday that the US Navy is preparing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as it is reasonable to do so,” amid continued disruptions caused by the US–Israel military campaign in Iran.
“As soon as it’s reasonable, we’ll escort ships through the strait and get energy moving again,” Wright told Fox News’s “Fox and Friends” programme
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said the Navy would “begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible” to prevent disruptions to global oil supplies.
Qatar condemns attack on naval forces in Bahrain
Qatar has strongly condemned what it described as an Iranian attack on buildings in Bahrain that house Qatari naval personnel participating in a joint Gulf military framework, calling the incident a “brazen hostile act” and a clear violation of Bahrain’s sovereignty.
In a statement released on Friday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the targeted facilities were spread across multiple locations in Bahrain and accommodate personnel assigned to the Unified Maritime Operations Center, operating under the Unified Military Command of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Qatar Condemns Iranian Attack on Buildings in Bahrain Housing Qatari Amiri Naval Forces Personnel
Doha | March 06, 2026
The State of Qatar condemns, in the strongest terms, the Iranian attack that targeted buildings in various areas of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain housing… pic.twitter.com/9Zd8lihCEi
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 6, 2026
Four drones struck Basra airport
Four drones struck Basra airport and two oil facilities in southern Iraq, a security official told AFP.
“One drone crashed into the cargo terminal at Basra airport,” the official said, adding that two others hit a US company in the Burjesia oil complex, and a fourth struck the Rumaila oil field, where energy major BP operates.
Aviation and energy markets disrupted
The conflict has also disrupted aviation and maritime trade across the region. More than 20,000 flights across eight countries have reportedly been cancelled over the past five days.
Around 145 flights from Pakistan to Middle Eastern destinations were also cancelled on Thursday.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies, has also been affected, with about 200 vessels anchored offshore due to security concerns, according to Reuters estimates.
