Loud explosions were reported in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and in Doha, the capital of Qatar, for a third straight day as Iran continued retaliatory strikes across the Gulf. The attacks come amid ongoing US and Israeli military action against Iranian targets.
In Kuwait, as reported by the Reuters, residents reported hearing blasts and air raid sirens early Monday. A Reuters witness said smoke was seen rising near the US embassy. Kuwait’s civil defence authorities, quoted by the state-run Kuwait News Agency, said most incoming drones were intercepted over the Rumaithiya and Salwa areas.
Tehran has stated that US military assets in the region would be targeted in response to continued strikes on Iranian territory. In recent days, projectiles and drones have struck or fallen near civilian and commercial zones in several Gulf cities, disrupting air traffic and commercial activity.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said air raid warnings had been activated and advised residents to seek shelter. The Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Bridge linking Manama to nearby towns was temporarily closed, with authorities urging limited road movement.
Casualty figures released by officials indicate at least one death in Kuwait, three in the UAE and 16 injuries in Qatar. Iranian authorities have reported 201 fatalities and 747 injuries from US-Israeli strikes, while Israeli officials have confirmed nine deaths and 121 injuries.
The United States and several Gulf states, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, issued a joint statement condemning the Iranian attacks and affirming their right to self-defence. The statement said participating countries would take necessary measures to safeguard their territories and residents.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, said Tehran was not seeking conflict with neighbouring Gulf nations. In remarks to Al Jazeera, he described the strikes as acts of self-defence against what he called American aggression. “We are not attacking our neighbours,” he said, adding that Iran’s actions were directed at American targets in the region.
