Gulf States in March 2026: the most important developments in security
In March 2026 the security situation in the Gulf states was defined by Iranian missile and drone strikes that began on 1 March and continued through the month. Iran targeted cities including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The UAE reported 3 deaths and 58 injuries on the first day, over 1,000 attacks by 4 March and 112 casualties by 6 March. On 2 March Kuwaiti air defences shot down three US F-15 fighter jets in what US Central Command called a friendly fire incident; all crew members ejected safely. Six US soldiers were killed by an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait, and the US closed its embassy there.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi saw repeated attacks. A drone fire near the US consulate in Dubai was reported on 3 March and on 16 March a drone attack set a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport on fire and all flights were suspended. UAE authorities arrested dozens of people for posting videos of interceptions, which they described as misleading.
Iranian strikes also hit energy sites: Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery on 2 March, Bahrain's main refinery on 9 March, the Ruwais refinery on 10 March, the Fujairah oil port on 14 March, and Qatar's Ras Laffan gas facility on 18 and 19 March. Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, later saying it was closed only to vessels from the United States and Israel. The US said the waterway remained open, destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats and began escorting tankers. More than 20 countries pledged to help secure shipping, and on 27 March the UAE called for an international force to reopen the strait.
Late in the month the conflict widened. Iran claimed attacks on aluminium plants in the UAE and Bahrain, and Yemen's Houthis said they had joined the war. Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE announced arrests of people they linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard or Hezbollah. Gulf states were reported to be considering a military response.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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