Iranian Army Targets Israeli Military Infrastructure in Drone Operations, Fars Reports
Iran’s army said it used drones to strike Israeli cyber units, intelligence centers and fighter jet staging areas, as Tehran also warned UAE residents to avoid ports it called “legitimate targets” for attacks on U.S. military assets.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Iranian army announced Saturday that it targeted Israeli cyber units, intelligence centers, and fighter jet staging areas using offensive drones, marking the latest escalation in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. Fars News Agency reported that the Iranian military stated, “By using drones, we were able to target Israeli cyber units and centers,” and added that the strikes hit “the military intelligence agency, a cyber operations unit, and the gathering points of Israeli fighter jets.”
The announcement follows a pattern of heightened Iranian military activity in the Gulf and wider region.
AFP reported Saturday that Iran’s military also issued a warning to residents in the United Arab Emirates to stay away from port facilities, which Tehran described as “legitimate targets” for strikes on American missile assets and military installations.
The statement, carried by Iranian state television, came from the military’s central operational command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, which said Iran “considers it its legitimate right to defend its national sovereignty and territory by striking American enemy missiles located in ports, docks and US military hideouts” in the UAE. Civilians were urged to “evacuate” port areas.
The warning coincided with visible smoke rising from a major energy installation in Fujairah, AFP journalists reported.
Fujairah hosts a key port with oil storage and export terminals and has previously been affected by drone attacks, officials noted. Local authorities said debris from a drone intercepted by air defenses caused a fire, though the precise location was not specified.
The events came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said American forces had conducted airstrikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub, which handles nearly all of the country’s crude exports. Trump also threatened additional attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure.
AFP reporting noted that Iran has systematically targeted major energy facilities across the Gulf since the start of hostilities, striking sites in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Key facilities affected include Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas processing base, and the Ruwais refinery complex in the UAE.
The campaign has also disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas previously transited.
Iranian military officials framed the strikes and warnings as defensive measures. AFP cited Khatam Al-Anbiya’s statement emphasizing the protection of national sovereignty as justification for potential attacks on UAE ports.
“We consider it our legitimate right to defend our national sovereignty and territory,” the command said, adding that American military assets located in ports, docks, and other facilities would be considered targets. Residents in affected areas were advised to evacuate to reduce risk from potential military action.
The Fujairah fire, which produced plumes of black smoke visible across the industrial zone, underscores the vulnerability of Gulf energy infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict.
AFP reporting indicated that drone strikes and falling debris have repeatedly disrupted operations at key terminals, affecting regional crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
Authorities in the UAE confirmed that debris from intercepted drones caused some damage, though specific casualty figures and damage estimates were not immediately available.
The developments illustrate the heightened security environment in the Gulf, with Iranian military officials asserting their right to strike perceived military targets while civilian authorities implement defensive and precautionary measures.
AFP reporting also highlighted that both civilian and commercial activity at Fujairah port facilities has been disrupted, reflecting the broader operational impact of the conflict on logistics and energy exports.
The Iranian army’s announcement targeting Israeli cyber and fighter jet infrastructure, coupled with warnings to UAE residents, confirms a broader pattern of Iranian military engagement across multiple fronts in the region.
The combined actions signal Tehran’s continued strategic use of drone operations and public advisories to communicate potential risks to civilians while asserting operational control over contested areas.
Officials noted that the strikes on Israeli cyber units and military staging areas were conducted with precision using unmanned aerial vehicles, highlighting the expanding use of drones in contemporary regional conflicts.
The operations come amid broader U.S.-Iran tensions, including the American strikes on Kharg Island and threats to other Iranian energy infrastructure, AFP reported.