The conflagration in the region ignited by combined U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran has officially crossed the Persian Gulf. Loud explosions shook the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, early Saturday evening as its air defense systems engaged a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles. The UAE Ministry of Defence announced that it has intercepted a “number of missiles,” although shrapnel that fell has claimed at least one civilian’s life.
Al Dhafra Under Fire
It is clear the most important target of the Iranian assault has been the Al Dhafra Air Base, a critical strategic site about 30 km south of Abu Dhabi. It is a critical logistics and air refueling hub for CENTCOM operations in the Middle East, where they share ground with the US Air Force. Terrified witnesses in the capital of Abu Dhabi said they had witnessed at least five huge booms in quick succession, with the impacts of the interceptions making windows jostle in the city’s downtown. “There were bright streaks of light in the sky when the sound came,” one local resident near the Corniche told reporters. “It was unlike anything we have experienced here.”
Casualties and Damage
Although the multi-layered missile defense system in the UAE ran smoothly, the Ministry of Defence showed that debris from an intercepted projectile fell onto a residential area in the city. Material damage and fatal injuries occurred to several buildings, including a resident of Asian origin. In a pointed statement, the UAE denounced the attack as a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty” and as a “cowardly act” that struck at civilian infrastructure. The Ministry assured that the UAE recognizes its "full right to respond to this escalation" and will do everything within its jurisdiction to protect its citizens and residents.
Part of a regional retaliatory action: "True Promise 4"
The strike on Abu Dhabi is a part of an organized Iranian offensive called “Operation True Promise 4.” In the wake of the “major combat operations” launched by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier this morning, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said that any country with U.S.-based military assets would be perceived as a target.
Confrontation as bombs and missiles were dropped at other U.S.-connected sites in the Gulf:
- Bahrain: Manama, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, was allegedly hit in a missile attack.
- Qatar: At Al Udeid Air Base, air defenses successfully intercepted an incoming projectile.
- Kuwait: An air missile attack hit Ali al-Salem Air Base and resulted in an immediate closure of Kuwaiti airspace.
Airspace Paralysis
The UAE has implemented a “temporary and partial” closure of its airspace in the wake of the attacks. Both Dubai International (DXB) and Abu Dhabi International (AUH), some of the busiest airports in the world, have faced dozens of flight cancellations and diversions. The major carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Air India have frozen operations in the region until further notice.
As the smoke clears over Abu Dhabi, the geopolitics of the Gulf have transformed. The targeting of the UAE in the first instance sends the signal that Tehran is prepared to wage a full regional war against the U.S.-Israeli offensive.
