TOPSHOT – An incoming projectile explodes over the water within the bay of Haifa off of the northern Israeli coastal metropolis on February 28, 2026. The US and Israel launched strikes in opposition to Iran on February 28, with Israel’s public broadcaster reporting that supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been focused, because the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel. (Picture by Jalaa MAREY / AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Jalaa Marey | Afp | Getty Pictures
Explosions have been heard throughout the Center East on Saturday after the U.S. and Israel launched a “broad & joint operation” in Iran, in response to the Israel Protection Forces. Iran retaliated with strikes on Israeli and U.S. bases throughout the Gulf.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates all confirmed that they had intercepted missiles from Iran, every residence to a U.S. base.
Within the UAE, “the Ministry of Protection introduced that the nation was subjected at the moment to a blatant assault by Iranian ballistic missiles, which was handled by the UAE air defenses with excessive effectivity and various missiles have been efficiently intercepted.”
CNBC’s staff within the United Arab Emirates confirmed listening to various loud explosions in each the UAE’s capital metropolis of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Qatar’s Ministry of Protection issued a assertion saying the “State of Qatar expresses its sturdy condemnation of the focusing on of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles, contemplating it a flagrant violation of its nationwide sovereignty, a direct infringement on its safety and territorial integrity, and an unacceptable escalation that threatens the safety and stability of the area.”
Bahrain, residence to U.S. Central Command confirmed by way of its information company, “the providers heart affiliated with the Fifth Fleet was subjected to a missile assault.”
Saudi Arabia, who was not focused by Iran, launched a assertion condemning and denouncing Iran’s assaults and “flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan.” The Kingdom additionally confirmed its “readiness to position all its capabilities at their disposal in assist of any measures they could undertake.”
U.S. Embassies throughout the area have instructed employees and Individuals in nations to shelter-in-place (i.e., take cowl) till additional discover.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday in an announcement on Reality Social “the US navy started main fight operations in Iran. Our goal is to defend the American folks by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very exhausting, horrible folks.”
Airspace Closure and Flight Impression
The UAE confirmed a brief closure of its airspace as an “distinctive precautionary measure” and flights have already been diverted across the main aviation hub of Dubai.
In keeping with Dubai’s principal lengthy haul provider Emirates, “Regional airspace closures have precipitated disruption to a number of Emirates flights.”
Air Arabia, one other UAE provider based mostly out of Sharjah informed CNBC “as a result of evolving state of affairs and airspace closures, our flights to Iran, Iraq and different components of the area on 28 February have been cancelled. A number of different flights might expertise delays or rerouting consequently.”
Qatar Airways additionally confirmed a “short-term suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha as a result of closure of Qatari airspace.”
