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The conflict in West Asia continues with Iran's retaliatory strikes targeting neighbouring regions in the Gulf. On Saturday, it was reported that a drone strike had targeted the Fujairah Port in the UAE triggering a fire.
A well-informed Gulf analyst confirmed that the Iranian attack on Fujairah caused a fire from falling debris after the successful interception of a drone by UAE air defence systems, with no injuries reported. The analyst said the incident highlights the urgency of preventing any further escalation in the region. According to the analyst, the repeated targeting of the UAE reflects its strategic importance in regional commerce, diplomacy and financial flows, rather than any weakness. The analyst said the priority across the Gulf remains de-escalation and diplomacy, as no serious regional actor wants to be drawn into a broader conflict. The analyst added that the wider danger extends beyond the immediate crisis, pointing to instability involving Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamist elements in Sudan, and al-Shabaab in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa. In this context, the analyst said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is well placed to play an important role, given India's strong relations across the region and the presence of millions of Indians living and working in Gulf countries. The analyst said the need of the hour is to use every available diplomatic channel to protect those lives and support urgent de-escalation. Earlier, the Ministry of Defence of the UAE said that its Air Defences engaged 9 ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran on Friday. The UAE MoD said, "Since the onsets of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1600 UAVs launched from Iran. These attacks have resulted in 6 fatalities of Emirati, Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi nationals, and 141 minor to moderate injuries among nationals of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden. "The Ministry of Defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats, and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine State security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities," it further said. The spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters had announced that it considers it a legitimate right to target the origins of US missile launches which it claims are located in several Emirati cities. Ebrahim Zolfaghari said, "We warn the UAE leadership that the Islamic Republic of Iran views it as its legitimate right to strike the origins of American missile launches, those concealed in ports, docks, and shelters used by US forces under the cover of Emirati cities, in defence of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity." Ever since the US-Israel led campaign against Iran began on Febriary 28 there has been no let-up in the fighting. Now, the Gulf states are concerned about further escalation as they call for a quick diplomatic resolution to the crisis. (ANI)
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