UAE Condemns Iranian Drone and Missile Attacks on Kuwait, Pledges Full Solidarity
Abu Dhabi calls the strikes a flagrant violation of Kuwaiti sovereignty as Gulf states face a second Iranian barrage in three days
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The United Arab Emirates condemned in the strongest terms what it described as terrorist drone and missile attacks by Iran targeting the State of Kuwait, expressing full solidarity with Kuwait and backing all measures aimed at safeguarding its security and stability.
In a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Saturday, Abu Dhabi said the attacks constitute a flagrant violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and a direct threat to its security and stability. The ministry expressed the UAE's complete support for any measures Kuwait may take to protect itself.
The condemnation came as the Persian Gulf states of Bahrain and Kuwait were targeted by a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles early Saturday, shattering the relative security of nations that have long viewed themselves as insulated from direct warfare. The strikes triggered air raid sirens and rattled civilian populations, marking a severe escalation in the conflict between Tehran and Washington and bringing the war directly to the doorsteps of America's most vital regional allies.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the missile salvo was launched just hours after the US military announced it had struck radar installations inside the Islamic Republic. The attack marked the second time in three days that Bahrain and Kuwait had faced direct Iranian fire, despite a nominal ceasefire in place since April 8.
In Kuwait, an AFP correspondent reported hearing repeated blasts near the international airport, a facility that had already been struck on Wednesday in a deadly attack blamed on Iran that killed one person. Kuwait's aviation authority temporarily closed its airspace, diverting 11 commercial flights before operations were eventually resumed.
In a statement carried by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the assault, asserting that its Aerospace Force launched ballistic missiles at the US military's Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the remaining critical assets of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The IRGC characterized the strikes as retaliation for US drone attacks on Iranian communications towers in Qeshm and Sirik earlier that morning.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that six of the missiles fired toward Kuwait and Bahrain were successfully intercepted by air defense systems, while the seventh failed to reach its intended target. CENTCOM explicitly rejected Iranian claims that the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain had sustained damage, categorizing the assertions as false.
The war initially erupted on Feb. 28 following massive US and Israeli strikes that eliminated Iran's top leadership. While the April 8 ceasefire temporarily paused the heaviest fighting, weeks of subsequent negotiations have failed to yield a permanent settlement or secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE's statement reflects a growing alarm among Gulf Arab states over the expanding reach of the conflict. By explicitly labeling the attacks as "terrorist" and calling them a flagrant violation of sovereignty, Abu Dhabi has aligned itself firmly with Kuwait at a moment when the ceasefire exists, in the words of regional analysts, largely in name only.
According to previous reporting by Kurdistan 24, Iranian missiles targeted Kuwait and Bahrain in a major escalation of the regional conflict, prompting heightened security measures across Gulf states and renewed concerns about the expansion of hostilities beyond Iran, Israel, and U.S. forces. The attacks triggered widespread diplomatic condemnation and intensified calls for de-escalation throughout the region.
The latest developments come as indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington continue through regional mediators, including Qatar, Pakistan, and Türkiye, amid efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading further across the Gulf and key international shipping routes.
The UAE reiterated its support for Kuwait and stressed the importance of protecting regional stability at a time when Gulf states remain increasingly concerned about the risks of a broader confrontation.
BRIEF:
The UAE condemned Iranian drone and missile strikes on Kuwait as a flagrant sovereignty violation, pledging full solidarity. The attacks were the second Iranian barrage on Gulf states in three days; most missiles were intercepted by air defenses.