ماذا حدث اليوم في قلب الأزمة الإيرانية الخليجية؟

The pace of military escalation in the Gulf and the Middle East is accelerating following airstrikes on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior military leaders, in a development described by international sources as unprecedented.

Today, Gulf countries witnessed a new wave of Iranian attacks using missiles and drones, targeting the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, prompting air defenses to intercept the majority of the attacks and causing a wave of fear and disruption in civil aviation and financial markets.

New Targeting Wave

• Oman: An oil tanker was attacked 5 miles north of the Port of Khasab, leading to the evacuation of all crew members and resulting in 4 injuries. The Oman News Agency also reported that a worker was injured after a drone fell at the Duqm port.
• UAE: Sirens were heard in Dubai, and air defenses intercepted multiple drones, causing debris to fall in the yards of two homes and injuring two people. A woman and her child were also injured due to drone fragments falling on the facade of a building in Abu Dhabi. Sources confirmed that the sounds heard were the result of successful interception operations.
• Qatar: Qatari defenses intercepted a new wave of Iranian missiles, while no injuries were reported from missile debris falling in the industrial area of Doha, and a limited fire was dealt with.
• Bahrain: Three strikes were detected in Al-Gufair and the diplomatic area, with most being intercepted by air defenses.
• Kuwait: Sirens were heard, and Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, with no human casualties reported so far.

Iranian and Leadership Losses

The Iranian television confirmed the death of Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour, as part of a series of American-Israeli strikes targeting the senior leadership.

This follows the announcement of the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and prominent security and military leaders, including:

• Secretary of the Supreme Defense Council Ali Shamkhani
• Commander of the Ground Revolutionary Guard Mohammad Pakpour
• Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh
• Head of Intelligence Agency Saleh Asadi
• Head of the Supreme Leader's Office Mohammad Shirazi
• Head of the Defense Innovation Organization Hussein Jabal Amelian
• Former leader in the Defense Innovation Organization Reza Mozaffari Nia
• Commander of the Iranian Army Abdolrahim Mousavi

Reports indicated that U.S. intelligence was aware of Khamenei's meeting with other officials yesterday and had monitored his movements for months, according to the New York Times.

Civil Aviation and Economic Damages

Thousands of flights were canceled, with partial closures of airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait, to ensure passenger safety.

The Saudi stock market "TASI" fell by about 4.5% at the opening of today's session, before reducing its losses to 2% at 10,495 points. Other Gulf markets were also affected, with Muscat down -3%, Bahrain -0.55%, while Kuwait suspended trading until further notice.

Air Defenses and Fortifications

The air defenses in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain intercepted most of the missiles and drones, with limited debris falling and minor damages reported. Oman announced the activation of air defense systems on a wide scale around ports and oil facilities.

It seems that the "collective interception of missiles and drones" strategy succeeded in minimizing human and material losses.

International Diplomatic Movements

• The European Union and the Arab League condemned the Iranian attacks on Gulf countries, and they have emergency meetings to discuss the crisis and de-escalate tensions.
• U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the strikes aim to eliminate the Iranian threat and prevent Tehran from developing strategic weapons, with operations possibly continuing "for days or weeks as needed."
• International diplomats called for de-escalation and opening channels for dialogue to prevent the situation from slipping into a broader confrontation.

Weapons and Tactics

• Long-range, precision-guided Tomahawk missiles to strike vital Iranian facilities.
• F-35 and F-18 fighter jets to carry out tactical airstrikes and direct air support.
• Low-cost suicide drones launched in large quantities to target multiple objectives simultaneously.

It can be concluded that military operations targeting Iran continued today with ongoing strikes, followed by the sound of several explosions in various locations, coinciding with the unprecedented Iranian military escalation in the Gulf after the assassination of the Supreme Leader.

Today's attacks included the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, with air defenses intervening to limit losses. Financial markets in the Gulf were severely affected, while civil aviation remains under strict surveillance. Meanwhile, the international community seeks to calm tensions, as the region stands on the brink of a confrontation that could last for days or weeks.