Dubai to Riyadh and beyond: How US-Israel strikes on Tehran triggered escalation across the Gulf

It started with a joint United States-Israel military strike on Iran on Friday morning. Within hours, Iran launched a series of retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region.

From Abu Dhabi in the UAE to Doha in Qatar, from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Manama in Bahrain and Amman in Jordan, residents were jolted by multiple loud explosions near US military bases as they opened fasts on the third Friday of Ramadan.

As tensions escalated, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace. The geographical spread of events marks one of the most serious escalations in the Middle East in years.

To many residents in the region, the escalation is reminiscent of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980-88, Desert Storm in 1991, and the Iraq invasion in 2003. In 2025, Iran briefly targeted the US airbase in Qatar, but the conflict didn't last long.

Saudi Arabia "expressed its strongest condemnation of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks targeting the Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, which were repelled," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"In light of this unjustified aggression, the Kingdom affirms that it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its territory, citizens and residents, including with the option of responding to the aggression."

The statement came after Iran retaliated to US-Israel attacks by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and US military bases in the region.

Iran had earlier said it would retaliate against US bases. Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the fifth US base in Bahrain have been targeted by Iranian missile attacks, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq that it will use all its defensive and military capabilities under the legitimate right of self-defence, Reuters reported, citing a Telegram post.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the UAE’s full solidarity with the affected countries, stressing that the region's security is indivisible. It reiterated its rejection of the use of regional territories as arenas for settling disputes or expanding conflicts, warning of the repercussions of such violations on regional and international security, global economic stability and energy security.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed regional developments and the implications of the ongoing escalation for regional and international security and stability during a phone call on Saturday with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, Gulf News reported.

During the call, the two leaders condemned the blatant Iranian attacks targeting the territories of the UAE, Qatar and a number of sisterly countries.

Earlier, the US and Israel launched a major attack on Iranwith President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.

President Trump has been voicing frustration over Iran’s position in nuclear and missile program negotiations. Trump said Washington’s objective was to “eliminate imminent threats” from Iran.