Missile, Drone Alerts Across Gulf Even As Trump Announces Two-Week Iran Ceasefire

Last Updated:April 08, 2026, 07:08 IST

Missile and drone alerts were reported across Gulf countries shortly after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement, suggesting hostilities may have continued during the period.

Missile and drone alerts were reported across multiple Persian Gulf countries shortly after the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire deal, according to a report by The New York Times, raising questions about how quickly the truce would translate into calm on the ground.

Countries including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar reported aerial threats in the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire announcement.

The report mentioned that the UAE defence ministry and the Israeli military said they were countering attacks from Iran, while Kuwait’s army said its air defences were detecting missile and drone threats.

Qatar’s defence ministry said it had intercepted a missile attack.

“It remains unclear if word of a cease-fire deal is taking time to filter down to Iranian forces," The report noted, indicating that hostilities may have continued even as diplomatic efforts signalled a pause in fighting.

CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCED HOURS BEFORE DEADLINE

US President Donald Trump agreed to the two-week ceasefire less than two hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face major strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Earlier in the day, Trump had issued a stark warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight" if Iran did not comply with US demands.

Trump later announced on social media that progress in negotiations had led to the temporary truce, describing it as a step toward broader stability in the region.

“This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the US had “already met and exceeded all Military objectives" and was moving toward a longer-term peace arrangement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran would stop counter-attacks and ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route that typically carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments.

CEASEFIRE TIED TO REOPENING OF STRAIT

The agreement is conditioned on Iran pausing its blockade of oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council portrayed the deal as a strategic success, saying Washington had accepted Tehran’s conditions for halting hostilities.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, said the ceasefire reflected US leverage, stating that pressure from Trump and the US military had compelled Iran to agree to reopening the waterway and continue negotiations.

Two White House officials also confirmed to Reuters that Israel had agreed to the two-week pause and would suspend its bombing campaign on Iran.

Sharif said the arrangement included a cessation of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon as part of the broader effort to de-escalate tensions.

Israeli media reports indicated that the ceasefire would take effect once Iran formally reopened the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that military activity could continue until compliance was verified.

More than an hour after Trump’s announcement, the Israeli military said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, with interceptions reported over Tel Aviv.

Several Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, issued alerts and activated air defence systems around the same time.

MARKETS REACT TO DIPLOMATIC SHIFT

Meanwhile, financial markets responded quickly to the ceasefire announcement, with US stock futures rising shortly afterwards.

Oil prices fell sharply, with US crude futures touching their lowest level since March 26, reflecting expectations that supply disruptions could ease if the Strait of Hormuz reopens.

The conflict, now in its sixth week, has resulted in more than 5,000 deaths across nearly a dozen countries, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran, according to tallies cited by Reuters from government sources and human rights groups.

The ceasefire announcement marked a sharp shift from earlier rhetoric, when Trump had threatened to target Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, unless Tehran complied with US demands.

The warning drew criticism from international leaders and legal experts, some of whom said attacks on civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime.

News world Missile, Drone Alerts Across Gulf Even As Trump Announces Two-Week Iran Ceasefire

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