Iran Launches Missile Attacks on U.S. Military Bases in the Gulf Region
On February 28 (local time), Iran launched simultaneous missile attacks targeting U.S. military bases stationed in the Gulf region in retaliation for preemptive strikes by the United States and Israel. As Iran immediately moved to retaliate, denouncing the attacks by both countries as violations of international law, tensions in the Middle East have escalated further.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran stated in a declaration released on this day that it had launched its first missile and drone attack on Israel in response to the attack on Iran.
The IRGC also announced that, as retaliation for the attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, it had fired missiles at U.S. military bases located in the Gulf region, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the targets of the airstrikes were Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
When Israel launched an airstrike against Iran in June last year, the Revolutionary Guard responded about 20 hours later; however, this time, Iran retaliated in just about an hour. Local Iranian media reported that dozens of missiles were used in the first counterattack airstrike.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, saying, “The new military attacks by the United States and the Israeli regime occurred while diplomatic procedures between Iran and the United States were ongoing,” and emphasized, “Retaliation for this act of aggression is Iran’s legitimate right under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.”
The United States and Iran had resumed nuclear negotiations in Geneva on the 26th and had agreed to meet again in Vienna on March 2 for further technical discussions.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also urged UN member states, especially Middle Eastern nations and those that feel responsible for maintaining peace and international security, to condemn the actions of the United States and Israel. The ministry further insisted that the United Nations and the Security Council should respond to the threat to global security caused by this attack.
According to major foreign news outlets such as the Associated Press, the Israeli Minister of Defense announced on this day that Israel had launched a preventive missile attack against Iran. It is also reported that the United States participated in this military operation.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a video posted on the social networking service Truth Social, stated, “Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear program,” and stressed, “Iran must never possess nuclear weapons.” He went on to say, “We will destroy their missiles and completely wipe out their missile industry,” and added, “We will annihilate their navy.”
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