On Saturday, March 7, 2026, several Gulf Arab nations reported successful interceptions of incoming Iranian ballistic missiles and drones amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, now in its second week, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed a major drone attack on the US-linked Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense systems actively responded to missile and drone threats targeting the country, with interception sounds heard across various areas. The ministry described the engagements as successfully neutralizing incoming projectiles, though no specific casualty or damage figures were immediately detailed from this wave.
Qatar's Defense Ministry stated that its armed forces intercepted a missile attack targeting the state, with air defenses engaging the threats effectively. Details on the exact number of projectiles were not released in initial statements, but prior reports from the conflict indicate Qatar has intercepted dozens of ballistic missiles and drones in recent days.
In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry reported that an "Iranian aggression" caused a fire and material damage to a house and several surrounding buildings in the capital, Manama. Civil Defense teams were deployed to extinguish the blaze and manage the aftermath, with no immediate confirmation of casualties.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry spokesperson, cited by the official news agency, confirmed that a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj province (southeast of Riyadh) fell in an uninhabited area. No damage or casualties were reported from the incident.
These defensive actions followed Iran's announcement of a new large-scale wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US-linked sites in the region. The IRGC specifically claimed responsibility for a "large-scale" naval drone unit operation early Saturday against Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, alleging strikes on the US Air Warfare Center, satellite communications center, early warning radars, and fire-control radars. Iranian state-linked media reported the attack as retaliation, though UAE officials have not yet commented on damage or verification of the claims. Al Dhafra, a key hub for US air operations, has been repeatedly targeted in the conflict.
The developments occurred despite Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's earlier statements on Saturday pledging that Iran would refrain from attacking neighboring states unless assaults originated from their territory. Pezeshkian apologized to Gulf neighbors for unintended impacts and emphasized no intention to invade or escalate beyond defensive necessities, attributing some strikes to miscommunications or prior aggressions. However, the timing of the latest barrages highlighted apparent divergences between Iran's political leadership and military elements like the IRGC.
Iran's retaliatory campaign, which began on February 28, 2026, in response to the initial large-scale US-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, senior officials, and over 1,000 people (including collateral civilian deaths like over 150 schoolgirls near military sites), has involved sustained missile and drone launches toward Israel and Gulf countries hosting US assets. These include Al Dhafra (UAE), Al Udeid (Qatar), bases in Bahrain (home to US Fifth Fleet), Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Strikes have caused civilian damage in some cases—such as ports, residential buildings, and infrastructure—alongside US military casualties and regional disruptions like flight hold patterns and airport alerts.
Gulf states, in coordination with US forces, have achieved high interception rates using advanced air defense systems (Patriot, THAAD, and others), though debris from interceptions has occasionally caused fires, injuries, or minor structural harm. Cumulative data from earlier phases show thousands of projectiles launched toward the region, with the majority neutralized but some evading defenses.
The conflict continues to widen risks, with Israel conducting parallel strikes on Iranian targets—including the IRGC-affiliated Imam Hossein University in Tehran—and US President Donald Trump demanding Iran's unconditional surrender while warning of intensified operations. Economic fallout includes elevated oil prices from Strait of Hormuz concerns. As exchanges persist, the gap between Pezeshkian's de-escalation signals and IRGC actions raises questions about command cohesion in Tehran amid the leadership vacuum post-Khamenei. International calls for restraint grow amid fears of broader escalation.
