Gulf Countries Close Airspace after Intercepting Rockets from Iran

 Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. (Reuters)
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Gulf Countries Close Airspace after Intercepting Rockets from Iran

 Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. (Reuters)

Gulf countries temporarily closed their airspace after intercepting rockets fired at them from Iran in wake of the US and Israeli strikes against Iran.

In Qatar, the military said in a statement that it had intercepted incoming Iranian missiles before ⁠they reached ⁠Qatari territory.

The Interior Ministry said no damage was reported.

Bahrain confirmed an attack inside its territory and said a service center of the US Fifth Fleet had been struck.

The Kuwaiti army said it dealt with missiles in Kuwaiti airspace, while Jordan said it had downed two Iranian ballistic missiles.

The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said it had intercepted an Iranian missile attack.

One person was killed after a rocket was intercepted in the capital, Abu Dhabi, reported the state news agency WAM.

The UAE slammed the attack, saying it was a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law.”

It stressed that “it reserves the right to retaliate to the escalation.”

Global airlines suspended flights across the Middle East, with flight maps showing the airspace over Iran virtually empty.



Saudi Arabia Condemns Riots Targeting UAE Embassy in Damascus

Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Riots Targeting UAE Embassy in Damascus

Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia condemned on Sunday the riots, assaults, and attempted vandalism that targeted the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and the residence of its head of mission in Damascus.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom also slammed the “unacceptable offenses directed at the national symbols of the brotherly UAE.”

The ministry stressed the Kingdom’s “rejection of these attacks and all forms of violence against diplomats, stressing the need to ensure the protection of diplomats and diplomatic missions in line with relevant international laws and conventions.”

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi also slammed the attack against the UAE embassy in Damascus, urging Syrian authorities to hold those responsible to account.


Oman, Iran Hold Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
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Oman, Iran Hold Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)

Oman and Iran held talks on easing passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Omani state news agency reported Sunday, with the key shipping chokepoint effectively closed due to war in the Middle East.

"Oman and Iran held a meeting at the deputy ministers level in the foreign ministries of the two countries, with the attendance of specialists from both sides, during which the possible options were discussed regarding ensuring the smooth passage through the Strait of Hormuz," the news agency posted on X.

"The experts from both sides put forward a number of visions and proposals regarding it," it added.


Saudi Defenses Intercept and Destroy Cruise Missile

The Ministry of Defense reiterated the readiness of its forces to deal with various threats. (Saudi Ministry of Defense)
The Ministry of Defense reiterated the readiness of its forces to deal with various threats. (Saudi Ministry of Defense)
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Saudi Defenses Intercept and Destroy Cruise Missile

The Ministry of Defense reiterated the readiness of its forces to deal with various threats. (Saudi Ministry of Defense)
The Ministry of Defense reiterated the readiness of its forces to deal with various threats. (Saudi Ministry of Defense)

Saudi Defense Ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said on Sunday that the Kingdom's defenses shot down a cruise missile in recent hours.

The interception process was successful, he added.

The Ministry of Defense reiterated the readiness of its forces to deal with various threats to ensure the security of the Kingdom and the safety of its territories.