DOHA: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has strongly condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Gulf states during a phone call with Abbas Araghchi, marking the first high-level contact between Doha and Tehran since the escalation began.According to Qatar’s foreign ministry, the Qatari premier accused Iran of attempting to “harm its neighbours and drag them into a war that is not theirs,” urging an immediate halt to the attacks. He stressed that the strikes had targeted civilian and residential areas, warning that such actions “cannot pass without a response.”Araghchi, however, maintained that Iranian missile operations were directed at US interests and did not intentionally target the State of Qatar.The latest escalation follows a major air campaign launched by the United States and Israel against Iran over the weekend, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone barrages across the Gulf region.Civilian casualties have mounted. In Kuwait, an 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel. The country’s health ministry said resuscitation efforts were carried out in the ambulance and continued for nearly half an hour at Al-Amiri Hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.
Overall, thirteen people — including seven civilians — have been killed across Gulf countries since the conflict began. The Pentagon confirmed the deaths of six US servicemen since Saturday, four of them in Kuwait.The United Arab Emirates and Qatar reported successfully intercepting incoming projectiles. The UAE said it engaged three ballistic missiles and intercepted 121 out of 129 drones, while Qatar confirmed it shot down 10 drones and two cruise missiles. Kuwait’s military also reported detecting and intercepting incoming threats in its airspace.In Saudi Arabia, the defence ministry said two cruise missiles were intercepted south of Riyadh, near the Prince Sultan Air Base, and several drones were destroyed after entering Saudi airspace. Authorities also confirmed intercepting a drone targeting the Ras Tanura oil refinery on the Gulf coast, days after a previous strike caused a fire and temporary suspension of some operations. Initial assessments indicated no damage from the latest attempt.Meanwhile, Bahrain announced that residents could register as volunteers to support national war-response efforts, particularly in the health sector.The conflict has also shaken financial markets. Stocks in the UAE plunged sharply following a two-day trading suspension, with Dubai’s main index dropping 4.7 percent and Abu Dhabi’s falling nearly 2 percent.
Adding to tensions, Qatari authorities said they dismantled two spy cells allegedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The official news agency reported that ten suspects were arrested, including seven accused of gathering intelligence on vital and military infrastructure and three allegedly assigned to conduct sabotage operations.With Iranian missiles and drones striking cities and infrastructure across the Gulf, relations between Tehran and its neighbours have deteriorated sharply, raising fears of a broader regional military confrontation.
