Gulf Nations Understate Damage from Iranian Missile and Drone Attacks, Report Finds

Following the US-Israeli strike on Iran on 28 February, Iran and its allies launched thousands of missile and drone attacks on Gulf monarchies, including Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. These governments have consistently downplayed the resulting damage, attributing it to falling debris or limited fires, while satellite images and expert assessments show extensive destruction. Notably, the top three floors of Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran were heavily damaged, the Barakah nuclear plant’s electrical substation roof was hit, and the Ras Laffan LNG facility’s cooling equipment was struck.

Iran also repeatedly targeted the UAE’s Fujairah port, damaging storage tanks and a complex matrix manifold of 62 pipelines; the UAE’s explanations of debris impact conflict with the observed damage. The pattern suggests sophisticated targeting, with officials in the region scrambling to repair and restore operations, but exports from Fujairah only rebounded months later.