Hundreds of drones target Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE amid Iran war | News
IRGC Launches Drone Attacks on US Military Facilities in Middle East
TEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed on Wednesday that it has launched a series of drone attacks, reportedly directing 230 unmanned aerial vehicles at multiple sites housing U.S. military personnel in the region. Targets included a base in Erbil, northern Iraq, and the Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
The IRGC labeled these strikes as among its “first powerful steps” in a larger response to recent military actions by Israel and the United States. This follows a series of attacks on Gulf Arab states initiated over the weekend.
In Kuwait, the Ministry of Health reported the death of an 11-year-old girl who succumbed to injuries after being struck by falling debris. The ministry noted that medical personnel attempted resuscitation in the ambulance and continued efforts for nearly 30 minutes at Al-Amiri Hospital before she was pronounced deceased.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, a drone reportedly targeted a logistics facility at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, situated near the international airport. This attack followed a thwarted drone incident the previous day near the same location, according to Iraq’s security media cell.
Security sources indicated that two additional drones targeted a U.S. military base and a hotel in Erbil. This attack coincided with a drone strike on a building in Sulaimaniyah, in the Kurdish region of Iraq, where video footage confirmed substantial flames following an explosion.
Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry reported the interception and destruction of a drone in the Eastern Province, but did not disclose details about the drone’s origin or any potential damage or casualties resulting from the incident.
Strikes were also reported in the United Arab Emirates, involving both the U.S. consulate in Dubai and a port in Fujairah. In light of the escalating tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the consulate in the UAE experienced drone attacks on Tuesday, prompting the State Department to authorize the evacuation of non-emergency personnel.
Iran’s offensive began shortly after U.S. and Israeli drone strikes on February 28, which notably resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Despite the ongoing drone assaults, Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Doha, noted a decrease in the intensity and frequency of the attacks on Gulf states. However, Basravi cautioned that even a limited number of attacks could significantly disrupt air traffic and impact the operations of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations involved in the conflict.
