Iranian state television, citing the armed forces, said Tehran had launched strikes on U.S. military facilities around the Persian Gulf, triggering shelter-in-place orders and airspace closures in several Gulf states. Officials in more than one country told civilians to stay indoors and keep away from military sites as reports of explosions circulated and air-defense systems went active.
Reuters reported a powerful blast in Abu Dhabi. The United Arab Emirates closed its airspace after accounts that Iranian ballistic missiles had been aimed at Al Dhafra Air Base, a major U.S. installation south of the capital. Large explosions were heard in the area. Independent confirmation of damage and casualties was not immediately available.
Qatar also shut its airspace. The Interior Ministry told residents to remain in place after a Patriot battery was said to have intercepted a missile directed at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. facility in the region and home to a substantial American command presence. Qatar’s Defense Ministry said several incoming attacks had been repelled and that the country was on high alert.
Al Jazeera reported loud explosions in Kuwait as well. Local authorities advised people to stay home and avoid travel to work while the situation was assessed.
The episode unfolded against a backdrop of long-standing tension in the Gulf, where U.S. air and naval facilities in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and neighboring states have been treated as potential targets in any wider confrontation with Iran. Host governments stressed that information remained incomplete and subject to change. Further official statements from Tehran, Washington, and Gulf capitals were expected as air defenses stayed on alert, flight restrictions remained in force, and public-safety measures continued.
The reports did not immediately establish how many projectiles were launched, how many were intercepted, or whether any bases had taken direct hits. Until governments and independent monitors release verified assessments, the scale of the attack and its military effect remain unconfirmed.
