The Gulf on Day 11 of the War: Summary of Iranian Military Attacks and Political Stances
Yemen Monitor / Exclusive:
Five Gulf countries were subjected to a wave of Iranian attacks over the past 24 hours, resulting in injuries in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait announced that they intercepted missiles and drones without casualties or damage.
The total number of Iranian missiles and drones launched on Monday, March 9, reached 64, targeting the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain did not disclose the number of projectiles launched against it that day but stated that since the start of what it described as the “Iranian aggression,” it has intercepted and destroyed 102 missiles and 173 drones, according to the government communication center.
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, a military helicopter crash resulted in the deaths of two soldiers. Emirati air defenses announced that they dealt with 12 ballistic missiles, intercepting nine while three fell into the sea. They also destroyed 16 drones out of 17, with one drone falling within the country’s territory.
Qatar
Qatar faced a heavy missile and drone attack. The Ministry of Defense announced that the country was targeted by 17 ballistic missiles and 6 drones, confirming that all were destroyed without any casualties.
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Defense reported intercepting nine drones that were heading toward the Shaybah Oil Field in the Rub’ al Khali.
Diplomatically, Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Minister of Defense, received phone calls from the French Minister of the Armed Forces and the Swedish Minister of Defense, during which they condemned the Iranian attacks and discussed the escalation’s implications for regional stability. The Saudi Foreign Minister also held a call with his Italian counterpart for the same purpose. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry hosted meetings with the U.S. chargé d’affaires and the UK ambassador to discuss regional developments.
Kuwait
The Emir of Kuwait, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, stated in a speech that his country had been subjected to “brutal aggression from a neighboring Muslim state,” despite Kuwait’s repeated assurances that its territory and airspace would not be used for military action against Iran.
He stressed Kuwait’s legitimate right to self-defense under United Nations charters. Militarily, the Defense Ministry confirmed that the armed forces are on high alert after destroying two ballistic missiles and one drone.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador for the second time to protest the attacks. At the same time, the Ministry of Information issued strict regulations prohibiting the spread of rumors or the use of drones for media purposes without official authorization.
Bahrain
The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force released a comprehensive statistic since the beginning of the attacks, showing the interception and destruction of 102 missiles and 173 drones targeting the kingdom.
On the ground, civil defense announced that it had contained a fire at a facility in the Ma’ameer area, while the bombardment caused 32 civilian injuries in the Sitra area, including four critical cases.
The Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs confirmed that production continues efficiently at the water desalination plant that sustained minor damage. Regarding travel, Gulf Air announced special flights to assist passengers affected by the current circumstances.
United Arab Emirates (Additional Developments)
The UAE Ministry of Defense mourned the deaths of two armed forces personnel following the crash of a helicopter due to a technical malfunction during a national duty mission.
Defensively, the air force dealt with 12 ballistic missiles and 17 drones, bringing the total since the beginning of the attacks to more than 1,400 drones, 253 ballistic missiles, and eight cruise missiles.
In Fujairah, authorities successfully controlled a fire that broke out after debris fell following successful interception operations, confirming that most threats were destroyed or landed in uninhabited areas.
