DUBAI — Several Gulf countries reported incoming missiles and drones from Iran on Wednesday, triggering air defenses across the region within hours of a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was announced. The US and Iran agreed to the temporary truce barely an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate Iran was due to expire if no deal was reached. The ceasefire, if it holds, would open a two-week negotiating window with US and Iranian delegations expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday said its air defences “are actively engaging” incoming missiles and drones from Iran. The UAE’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the sounds of explosions heard in different areas across the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. “The air defenses are currently dealing with missiles and drones coming from Iran,” the ministry said.Operations at Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas complex were also temporarily suspended after a fire broke out early Wednesday due to falling debris, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.The interception also injured two Emiratis and one Indian national, the media office added. Kuwait also said its air defences were intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8am (05:00 GMT), according to its army. The Kuwaiti army said some drones targeted vital oil facilities, power stations and water desalination plants, causing serious infrastructure damage. Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that its air defence systems responded to “intense hostile Iranian attacks,” adding that a total of 28 drones were dealt with. “Kuwaiti armed forces intercepted a large number of drones, some of which targeted vital oil installations and power stations in the south of the country,” it added. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior also reported alleged Iranian attacks, which injured two people, hours after the US announced the ceasefire with Iran. “Two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone,” the ministry said in a statement. Explosions were heard in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, in the morning, the AFP news agency reported. It said its journalist saw smoke rising from an area on Sitra Island that hosts Bahrain’s principal energy facilities. In an earlier statement, the Interior Ministry said civil defense crews had succeeded in controlling a fire that broke out in a facility “targeted by the Iranian aggression”, without elaborating on the location of the facility. Iranian state television confirmed the missile and drone attacks, reporting they were carried out in response to the bombing of Iranian oil facilities on Wednesday. An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island came under attack on Wednesday, state television reported, adding that firefighters were working to contain the blaze, and no one had been hurt. Explosions were also reported on Iran’s Sirri island, according to Mehr news agency. Iran has decentralized their military operations, and the violations of the truce could just be “a loose chain” in the communication of those part of the country’s military command, according to Malik Traina, Al Jazeera reporter in Kuwait City. “The hope is that there’s a diplomatic path. That’s what both countries have been calling for the entire time,” Traina said. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile barrages from Iran over recent weeks in response to the US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. — AgenciesDUBAI — Several Gulf countries reported incoming missiles and drones from Iran on Wednesday, triggering air defenses across the region within hours of a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was announced. The US and Iran agreed to the temporary truce barely an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate Iran was due to expire if no deal was reached. The ceasefire, if it holds, would open a two-week negotiating window with US and Iranian delegations expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday said its air defences “are actively engaging” incoming missiles and drones from Iran. The UAE’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the sounds of explosions heard in different areas across the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. “The air defenses are currently dealing with missiles and drones coming from Iran,” the ministry said.Operations at Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas complex were also temporarily suspended after a fire broke out early Wednesday due to falling debris, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.The interception also injured two Emiratis and one Indian national, the media office added. Kuwait also said its air defences were intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8am (05:00 GMT), according to its army. The Kuwaiti army said some drones targeted vital oil facilities, power stations and water desalination plants, causing serious infrastructure damage. Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that its air defence systems responded to “intense hostile Iranian attacks,” adding that a total of 28 drones were dealt with. “Kuwaiti armed forces intercepted a large number of drones, some of which targeted vital oil installations and power stations in the south of the country,” it added. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior also reported alleged Iranian attacks, which injured two people, hours after the US announced the ceasefire with Iran. “Two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone,” the ministry said in a statement. Explosions were heard in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, in the morning, the AFP news agency reported. It said its journalist saw smoke rising from an area on Sitra Island that hosts Bahrain’s principal energy facilities. In an earlier statement, the Interior Ministry said civil defense crews had succeeded in controlling a fire that broke out in a facility “targeted by the Iranian aggression”, without elaborating on the location of the facility. Iranian state television confirmed the missile and drone attacks, reporting they were carried out in response to the bombing of Iranian oil facilities on Wednesday. An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island came under attack on Wednesday, state television reported, adding that firefighters were working to contain the blaze, and no one had been hurt. Explosions were also reported on Iran’s Sirri island, according to Mehr news agency. Iran has decentralized their military operations, and the violations of the truce could just be “a loose chain” in the communication of those part of the country’s military command, according to Malik Traina, Al Jazeera reporter in Kuwait City. “The hope is that there’s a diplomatic path. That’s what both countries have been calling for the entire time,” Traina said. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile barrages from Iran over recent weeks in response to the US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. — Agencies
