Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain have reported new attacks from Iran, with air defences intercepting dozens of missiles and drones as a regional escalation continues to expand.
The Saudi defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday that air defences shot down a ballistic missile targeting the Eastern Province.
The ministry added that five drones were also intercepted, without specifying locations or reporting casualties or damage.
The UAE defence ministry said air defences responded to missile and drone attacks originating from Iran, but did not provide figures.
The ministry said sounds of explosions heard across parts of the country were the result of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles and drones by the country’s air defence systems.
According to the ministry, Iranian attacks have killed two soldiers, a Moroccan civilian contractor, and nine civilians of various nationalities and injured 191 others since Feb. 28.
Bahrain’s National Communications Centre also said on Thursday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed two missiles and 10 drones targeting the kingdom over the past 24 hours.
No details were given about possible injuries or damage.
The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force said that 188 missiles and 429 drones had been shot down since the start of Iranian attacks on the country in late February.
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military and financial assets.
