A senior United Arab Emirates official has sharply criticised Iran after fresh missile strikes targeted parts of the Gulf nation, calling the move a “miscalculation” that has further isolated Tehran at a crucial time.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said Iran’s retaliatory attacks against Gulf states were misguided and risked widening regional instability.
“The Iranian aggression against the Gulf states was a miscalculation, and it isolated Iran at a critical juncture. Your war is not with your neighbours,” Gargash said, according to AFP.
He urged Tehran to step back from escalation. “Return to reason, to your surroundings, and deal with your neighbours rationally and responsibly before the circle of isolation and escalation widens,” he added.
IRGC Threatens ‘Ferocious’ Offensive After Khamenei’s Death
The escalation follows joint US-Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In response, Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stark warning to both Israel and the United States, vowing what it described as the “most ferocious offensive operation in history.”
The IRGC claimed it had targeted 27 American military bases across West Asia. “We targeted 27 sites of US bases in the region,” the force said in a statement.
Red alert sirens were activated in parts of Israel, including the Negev and Dead Sea regions, as tensions surged. Fresh explosions were also reported in Dubai and near Doha in Qatar, signalling a widening theatre of conflict.
Airports Hit, Flights Cancelled Across The Gulf
Iran’s latest strikes have had significant fallout across the Gulf.
Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab hotel caught fire after debris from an intercepted drone reportedly struck the building. Meanwhile, both Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international travel, sustained damage during overnight attacks.
Airport authorities said one Asian national was killed and seven others were injured at Abu Dhabi airport. Four additional injuries were reported at Dubai airport.
