Iran retaliated against a massive US-Israeli attack on Saturday morning by striking several Gulf states where the US military has bases, with explosions and mushroom clouds rising over sleek Gulf capitals from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s decision to launch quick retaliatory strikes on the Gulf underscores that, unlike the 12-day June 2025 war, this new conflict is not contained. US President Donald Trump said in a video that the purpose of the attack is to topple the Islamic Republic.
Explosions were reported in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, all of which host US military bases.
Iran’s Fars news agency said the country was targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE and the US Fifth Fleet naval base in Bahrain.
Bahrain confirmed that the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet had been hit in a missile attack.
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Videos seen by Middle East Eye showed the moment of impact, with a massive explosion and a mushroom cloud rising in Bahrain’s Juffair district, home to the Fifth Fleet.
AFP and Al Jazeera reported that the Saudi capital Riyadh was also hit.
Meanwhile, explosions rocked the UAE and Kuwait. A Reuters correspondent reported hearing a loud explosion over Dubai Marina.
Videos posted on social media showed a large explosion in Abu Dhabi. Reuters confirmed an explosion in the UAE’s capital.
US and Israel attack Iran with Tehran promising ‘crushing’ response
UAE state media said its air defences had intercepted several Iranian missiles, but one person was killed in Abu Dhabi.
An Arab diplomat also confirmed to MEE that Qatar’s air defences had been activated to shoot down Iranian missiles.
Kuwait’s chief of staff said in a statement that “air defence systems engaged incoming missiles detected in the airspace”.
Besides Bahrain, there were no immediate confirmations of US military bases hit.
Iran’s rapid retaliation against the US-Israeli attack with strikes across the Gulf indicates that the conflict is not confined like the 12-day war in June 2025, which culminated in the US bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.
After the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June, Tehran carefully telegraphed its strike against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
This time, Iranian missiles landed in the Gulf with little warning, underscoring that the conflict is viewed in Tehran as an existential threat to the Islamic Republic.
Iran has repeatedly warned, in both public and private messages, that if attacked by the US, it will retaliate by launching strikes against Gulf states hosting US military bases.
Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, made a failed attempt to prevent the US from launching an attack on Iran.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi made a last-ditch effort in Washington on Friday evening, meeting US Vice President JD Vance and appearing on CBS News.
The sense of urgency in Busaidi’s voice was obvious on CBS as he pleaded with the US to give Muscat more time to mediate talks between Iran and the US.
Ballistic missiles slamming into Riyadh, Dubai and Doha represent the worst-case scenario for Gulf monarchies trying to pitch their capitals as safe hubs for business and tourism.