Iran ‘internationalises battlefield’ as retaliatory missiles put Gulf in firing line

Thunderous blasts ⁠and towering fireballs from Iranian missiles streaking across Gulf states vindicated their ⁠leaders’ long-held fears that Tehran can bring war to their doorstep, likely to harden Arab rulers’ support for US-Israeli strikes.

Even in The Palm, Dubai’s swankiest resort, explosions rattled buildings and hit a luxury hotel, sending panicked residents running for cover as missiles and interceptors tore across the sky.

Dubai’s landmark ⁠Burj Al Arab hotel and the airport, which handles more ⁠than 1,000 flights a day, were damaged in an overnight attack on sites across the Arab Gulf states that also hit airports in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

It was a stark sign that the conflict had spilled beyond Iran’s borders – just as Tehran had warned it would.

“What has now been proven is that we – not the United States – are in ‌the line of fire,” said Dr Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, president of the Emirates Policy Centre. “When Iran struck, it struck the Gulf first under the pretext of targeting US bases.”

Analysts say Iran’s strikes on Gulf countries are meant to show that no US ally in the region is beyond reach, and to raise the cost of backing Washington’s campaign.