Tensions in the Gulf escalated sharply as Iran expanded retaliatory strikes following joint US-Israeli attacks that reportedly targeted its top leadership.
Qatar shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 warplanes and suspended liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after drone strikes hit key energy facilities, marking the first time a Gulf state has directly engaged Iranian aircraft. The disruption at QatarEnergy, one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, sent European gas prices surging over 50 percent and lifted global oil prices by nearly nine percent amid fears of prolonged supply shocks.
Since the initial strikes, Iran has launched waves of missiles and drones across Gulf states, targeting ports, airports, hotels, residential areas, and military sites. At least six people have been killed, and dozens more injured. In Saudi Arabia, a drone attack hit parts of the Ras Tanura refinery, prompting partial shutdowns. Authorities warned that further Iranian assaults on Aramco could trigger direct military retaliation, with the Saudi military placed on full alert.
In the United Arab Emirates, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, causing a fire that was quickly contained with no injuries reported. Explosions were reported across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama, undermining the Gulf’s reputation as a stable and safe region.
Kuwait also experienced unrest, with smoke seen near the US embassy in Kuwait City and a friendly-fire incident downing three US F-15E jets; the crews ejected safely. Nineteen people were injured nationwide, including two at the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery. In Bahrain, debris from an intercepted missile caused a fire aboard a ship in Salman, resulting in one death and two critical injuries, marking the first fatality in the crisis there.
Security analysts have warned that these coordinated attacks represent a “nightmare scenario” for Gulf stability, raising fears of a full-scale regional war and further disruptions to global energy markets.
