Rabat – Gulf countries and Jordan are condemning Iranian missile and drone attacks that Tehran said were launched in retaliation for US strikes.
Gulf countries, including the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, are reportedly coming under fresh attacks from Iran in a new escalation that comes despite the US-Iran memorandum of understanding seeking to end the war.
The US announced it struck Iran on Sunday, citing an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) act involving fire on a Cyprus-registered container ship that Tehran said was sailing on an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC also said it hit a second vessel, accusing it of violating regulations.
Later, US Central Command announced that its forces carried out a round of strikes against Iran.
The US command said it targeted at least 140 targets, stating that the country is imposing “a heavy cost” by continuing to “degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait.”
In response to the US bombardment, Iran launched attacks on Gulf countries in a fresh wave of attacks, which Tehran claimed targeted US premises in Gulf countries, including the UAE.
Iran also claimed waves of drone attacks on US military sites in Kuwait, in addition to Bahrain.
Iran said it targeted the airbase at Qatar’s Al Udeid with ballistic missiles.
Kuwait said its army was responding to hostile targets in its airspace, urging everyone to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.
Qatar issued security alerts, raising its threat level and urging residents to remain inside their homes or in safe places.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that falling debris injured at least three people, including a child.
Kuwait denounced the “heinous” attacks on Qatar, stating that they constitute a “highly dangerous escalation” that will exacerbate tensions and instability in the region, emphasizing that it reserves all its rights to take whatever measures are necessary to protect its security.
Jordan also condemned the Iranian attacks, describing them as a “blatant violation” against its Gulf neighbors and stressing that they threaten the countries’ stability and territorial integrity and constitute a flagrant breach of international law.
