Western embassy staff shelter as air defences intercept missiles and drones

AFP | Riyadh

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Some Western embassy staff in Riyadh were told to shelter in place, diplomatic sources said yesterday, with drone debris injuring six people in Abu Dhabi as Iran pressed attacks across the Gulf.

The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf region as Iran retaliates to US and Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader, launching strikes at Israel, the wider region and beyond.

At least 13 people have been killed in the Gulf, including seven civilians, since Iran began its attacks on Saturday. Washington said six US servicemen were killed, including four in Kuwait.

In addition to the shelter-inplace order, a witness said the diplomatic quarter in the Saudi capital Riyadh had been closed off.

The witness and diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive security matter.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to falling debris at two sites in an industrial zone after air defences intercepted a drone, the emirate’s media office said.

Six Pakistani and Nepalese nationals were injured, while the UAE later said its air defences detected seven ballistic missiles, intercepting six as one fell inside the country.

Fresh waves of explosions, most from interceptions, also rocked Dubai and Doha yesterday.

In Doha, AFP journalists saw a plume of smoke rising from the Qatari capital and reported loud blasts across the city.

Qatar’s defence ministry said its forces intercepted 13 Iranian ballistic missiles yesterday, while one fell in Qatari waters, and four drones were also shot down, with no casualties reported.

Earlier, Qatari authorities said they were evacuating residents living near Doha’s US embassy.

The fresh salvos came hours after Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani lambasted Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi,  during a call.

The Qatari premier accused Iran of seeking to “harm its neighbours and drag them into a war that is not theirs”, according to a statement from Qatar’s foreign ministry.

In Saudi Arabia, officials said they had intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones.

“Three cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed outside the city of Al-Kharj,” the Saudi defence ministry posted on X.