Breaking News Iran hits US bases in UAE and Bahrain after United States-led strikes on Tehran

Breaking News Iran hits US bases in UAE and Bahrain after United States-led strikes on Tehran

GGS NEWS

Tensions in the Middle East surged dramatically on Tuesday after Iran launched missile and drone strikes targeting American military facilities in the UAE and Bahrain, in what officials described as retaliation for Washington-led airstrikes on Iranian territory.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the operation in a statement broadcast on state television, saying the attacks were a “direct response to aggression against the sovereignty of Iran.” The strikes followed overnight bombardments by the United States and allied forces on military installations near Tehran, which Washington claimed were linked to Iran’s missile and drone programs.

According to US Central Command, several projectiles were intercepted by air-defence systems deployed at bases in the Gulf region. While no casualties were immediately reported, authorities in both the UAE and Bahrain placed their armed forces on high alert and temporarily restricted civilian air traffic near military zones as a precaution.

The White House said the earlier strikes on Iran were “limited and defensive,” accusing Tehran of orchestrating attacks on US personnel and allied targets across the Middle East in recent weeks. “Iran must understand that further escalation will invite decisive consequences,” a US defense official said.

Iran, however, rejected the US justification, calling the Washington-led strikes “an act of war.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said Tehran “will not remain silent in the face of repeated violations of its security and territorial integrity.” He added that Iran’s response was “measured but firm.”

In Abu Dhabi and Manama, officials condemned the use of their territories as battlegrounds for regional rivalries. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry confirmed that fragments from intercepted missiles fell near a military installation but caused no damage. The UAE said its air defence systems successfully neutralized “hostile aerial objects” and urged restraint from all parties.

International reaction was swift. The United Nations Secretary-General expressed “grave concern” over the spiral of violence and called for urgent diplomatic engagement to prevent a wider war. Russia and China both urged the US and Iran to exercise restraint, warning that continued military exchanges could destabilize the entire Gulf region.

Oil markets reacted nervously to the developments, with crude prices jumping in early trading amid fears of disruption to shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes.

Security analysts warn that the confrontation risks pulling in US allies and regional powers if the cycle of retaliation continues. “This is the most direct military exchange between Iran and the US in years,” said Middle East analyst Karim Haddad. “Even limited strikes carry the danger of miscalculation and rapid escalation.”

As of late Tuesday, both Washington and Tehran signaled they were prepared for further action if provoked, while simultaneously leaving the door open to diplomacy. Whether the crisis will cool through negotiations or erupt into broader conflict remains uncertain, but the latest strikes mark a dangerous new chapter in already strained US-Iran relations.