Gulf Six Urge Iran to Halt Attacks... "Military Response Possible" [US-Iran Airstrikes]

"Widespread Damage from Iran's 'Treacherous Attacks'"

Following the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel against Iran, foreign ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries-including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Bahrain, which have become primary targets of Iranian attacks-held an emergency meeting and issued a strong condemnation of Iran. They also warned Iran that they might resort to military countermeasures.

Planet Labs satellite image capturing Dubai engulfed in smoke from the Iranian attack. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to AFP on March 2, the foreign ministers of the six Gulf countries-UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait-held a virtual meeting and denounced Iran's "treacherous attacks," stating that these had caused widespread damage.

In a statement released after the meeting, the ministers declared, "We will take all necessary measures to safeguard national security, maintain stability, and protect our territories." They further warned, "This includes the option of responding to (Iran's) attacks." They also called for an immediate halt to Iranian attacks, emphasizing that "the stability of the Gulf region is not only a regional concern but also a fundamental pillar of global economic stability."

Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, major cities in Gulf countries that host US military bases-such as Dubai, Doha, and Manama-have become concentrated targets of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Notably, these attacks by the Iranian military have extended beyond US facilities in GCC member states to include airports, hotels, apartments, and other transportation infrastructure as well as civilian residential and commercial buildings, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.

Intercepted Iranian projectile falling near Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

However, Iran has officially stated that it is "targeting US military facilities" and claims it is not deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted, "We hope people understand that what is happening in the region is neither our fault nor our choice," adding that the military has been urged to carefully limit attacks to US-related facilities only.

In particular, Dubai, one of the most prosperous cities in the Middle East and a key transportation hub for the region, has been subject to concentrated Iranian attacks. Dubai International Airport, the region's main hub, suffered partial destruction of its terminal building in a drone attack, injuring four employees.

The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that as of March 1, a total of 165 ballistic missiles and 541 drones had been launched from Iran, with 35 drones breaching air defenses and falling within UAE territory, resulting in three deaths. In protest, the UAE announced it would close its embassy in Iran and withdraw all diplomatic personnel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.