Iran launched a series of attacks across the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, targeting commercial shipping routes, key energy infrastructure and Dubai International Airport, as tensions sharply escalated in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, United States and Israel.
Two Iranian drones reportedly struck areas close to Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international travel and the operational base of Emirates. Authorities confirmed that four people were injured in the incident. Despite the attack, officials said airport operations continued with minimal disruption, although heightened security measures were immediately introduced around the facility.
Iran’s joint military command also announced that it may extend its attacks to financial infrastructure across the Middle East. The announcement raised serious concerns for major financial hubs such as Dubai, as well as neighboring countries including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where banking and financial institutions play a critical role in regional commerce and global finance.
Earlier in the day, a projectile struck a container ship sailing near the coast of Oman in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the attack ignited a fire onboard the vessel, forcing most members of the crew to abandon ship. Emergency response teams later moved in to assess the damage and ensure the safety of surviving crew members.
Air defence systems across the Gulf region were activated following the attacks, with several countries intercepting incoming drones and missiles. Authorities in Kuwait reported that eight Iranian drones were shot down before they could reach critical targets. Meanwhile, air defence units in Saudi Arabia intercepted five drones believed to be heading toward the kingdom’s Shaybah oil field, one of its major energy production sites.
Iran’s latest military actions have significantly disrupted shipping activities through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass through this route each day, carrying crude oil from the Persian Gulf to international markets across Europe, Asia and North America.
At the same time, Israeli forces intensified airstrikes on targets in Tehran. Additional strikes were also reported in Beirut and several areas in southern Lebanon, where Israeli officials said they were targeting positions linked to Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran.
One Israeli airstrike triggered a fire in a building located in Beirut’s densely populated Aicha Bakkar district. While the blaze caused significant damage to property, there were no immediate reports of casualties. However, in southern Lebanon, at least seven people were reported killed in separate airstrikes as the violence continued to spread across multiple locations.
The conflict has already resulted in significant casualties. Reports indicate that nearly 500 people have been killed in Lebanon since the latest escalation began following earlier attacks carried out by the United States and Israel on Iran. Iranian authorities have reported more than 1,300 deaths within their country, while Israel has confirmed 12 fatalities linked to the ongoing hostilities.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it successfully destroyed six ballistic missiles that had been launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base, a major military installation jointly operated by U.S. and Saudi forces. The base plays a key role in regional defence operations and the monitoring of military activity across the Gulf.
The crisis has also attracted urgent attention from the United Nations Security Council, which is expected to vote on a resolution backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council calling on Iran to halt attacks against neighbouring countries and reduce tensions across the region.
Global oil markets have already reacted strongly to the conflict. The price of Brent crude remained approximately 20 percent higher than levels recorded before the conflict began, raising concerns among analysts about possible long-term disruptions to global energy supplies and international trade.
Shipping data further indicates that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined sharply since the escalation began. Under normal conditions, more than 100 vessels pass through the waterway each day. However, monitoring firms report that only a limited number of ships have navigated the route since early March, as shipping companies reconsider the risks associated with the conflict.
Meanwhile, speculation has emerged regarding the health and public absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader. He has not appeared publicly since assuming leadership following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the conflict.
As the fighting intensifies, thousands of foreign nationals have begun leaving the Gulf region. British authorities say more than 45,000 citizens have departed the area, while the United States Department of State reported that about 40,000 Americans have already returned home since the conflict began.
The continuing escalation has raised fears that the conflict could expand into a broader regional war, potentially affecting global trade, international aviation routes and energy markets if hostilities continue to intensify across the Persian Gulf.
