The United States and six Gulf allies issued a joint statement describing Iran’s recent actions in the region as highly dangerous and a threat to Middle East stability. The statement, released by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned that civilians and non-combatant countries were being targeted, undermining regional security.

The Arabic-language statement was jointly issued by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. It emphasized that these nations reserve the right to self-defense if Iran’s attacks continue. The statement also reported that attacks had occurred in Bahrain, Iraq (including the Kurdistan region), Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The joint declaration reflects growing concern among Gulf states and Washington over escalating tensions linked to Iran’s regional military activities, which they view as destabilizing the broader Middle East.

Explosions were reported on Monday in several major Middle Eastern cities, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, and Jerusalem, according to multiple news agencies. AFP reported that loud blasts were heard in the capitals of Qatar and Bahrain, as well as in the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that a suspected drone attack targeted the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus on Sunday night. No casualties were reported, and British authorities stated that security in the region remains at the highest level, with defensive responses initiated from the base.

The incidents follow the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S. and Israeli airstrike. The British Defence Secretary, John Healy, said indiscriminate retaliatory attacks by Iran have increased risks for British troops and civilians across the Middle East.

An Iranian ballistic missile struck Jerusalem, according to a report by Al Jazeera on March 2, 2026. The missile was among several newly launched by Iran, and one directly hit the city. Al Jazeera’s correspondent at the scene said warning sirens sounded in East Jerusalem shortly before the impact occurred.

Jerusalem has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day Arab War, though Palestinians regard it as their sacred land. The city holds the Al-Aqsa Mosque, considered Islam’s first qibla and one of its holiest sites after Mecca and Medina. The report described the area as being under full Israeli administrative authority despite its religious significance to Muslims.

The incident comes amid a series of regional escalations, including reports of Iranian missile attacks on a Qatari energy facility and other security incidents in the Gulf region.

Explosions were reported this morning in Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv, according to local sources. Residents in Doha said at least 11 blasts occurred, while several loud explosions were also heard in Dubai. The incidents follow recent Iranian attacks that injured eight more people in Qatar, raising the total number of wounded there to 16. Limited damage has been reported in several areas of the country.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that it carried out strikes on Israel’s Tel Nof airbase, the Israeli army’s command headquarters in Tel Aviv’s Hakirya district, and a major defense industry complex in the same city. Air raid sirens were heard across Israel as authorities warned citizens of possible incoming attacks.

Reports from Tel Aviv confirmed multiple explosions as Israel deployed its advanced air defense systems in an effort to intercept the Iranian strikes.

Iran has claimed responsibility for launching a new wave of missile and drone attacks toward Israel on February 28, 2026. In response, the Israeli military issued a nationwide alert and instructed residents to move to safe shelters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed detecting missile strikes and stated that its defense systems were working to intercept the incoming threats.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the Iranian army launched multiple drones toward Israel, describing it as the first large-scale drone assault conducted directly from Iranian territory. The IDF described its forces as prepared to counter potential attacks, while the situation has prompted heightened vigilance across the country.

The escalating exchange of attacks has intensified tensions across the Middle East, with regional actors reportedly monitoring the situation closely as the conflict dynamics continue to evolve.

Following attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran, heightened tensions have spread across the Middle East and surrounding regions. In response, several countries have urged their citizens to leave Iran, and multiple airlines have suspended flights due to safety concerns.

Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until March 7. Lufthansa has halted flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Muscat for the weekend, while KLM has canceled all flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv. Oman Air has suspended flights to Baghdad, and Russia has stopped all flights to Iran and Israel. Kuwait has suspended flights to Iran until further notice. Iraq has canceled all incoming and outgoing flights and closed its airspace, while Israel has also canceled all civilian flights and shut its airspace.

The widespread flight suspensions and airspace closures reflect the escalating regional instability following the recent military actions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Tensions have rapidly escalated across the Middle East following US and Israeli attacks on Iran. In response, Tehran launched drones and missiles toward Israel and carried out strikes in several Gulf areas, intensifying regional instability.

Amid the deteriorating situation, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have temporarily closed their airspace, citing regional security risks. Iraq’s Ministry of Transport also announced the closure of its airspace after the attacks on Iran, leading to the suspension of flights at Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq.

The closures reflect growing concern among Gulf and neighboring countries over the potential spread of conflict and threats to civilian aviation safety in the region.

Iran carried out missile and drone strikes on US facilities in several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described the attacks as retaliatory. According to Fars News Agency, one person was killed in Abu Dhabi. Explosions were reported in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi, while Bahrain confirmed a missile strike on a US Navy Fifth Fleet command center.

The UAE condemned the assault as a clear violation of national sovereignty and international law, asserting its right to retaliate. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry issued an emergency alert and instructed residents to move to safe locations. The attacks followed joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered emergency sirens in Bahrain. Authorities in Bahrain activated security measures and urged calm among citizens.

A Qatari official said two Iranian missiles were intercepted, and Kuwait also sounded warning sirens. The United States had recently withdrawn hundreds of troops from bases in Qatar and Bahrain amid rising tensions with Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it has begun a large-scale missile and drone attack on Israel following strikes earlier in Tehran and several other Iranian cities. According to the statement, missiles were launched toward Israeli territory, prompting Israel’s air force to respond.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a separate statement that several missiles fired from Iran were detected heading toward Israeli territory. Air raid sirens were activated across multiple areas, and civilians were urged to follow Home Front Command instructions. The Israeli Air Force said it was working to intercept the threats and would strike back if necessary.

The exchange marks a sharp escalation following attacks inside Iran earlier in the day, with both sides reporting active defense measures as tensions rise across the region.

Regional power dynamics in the Middle East are shifting as a new Sunni alliance, led by Turkey and Egypt, quietly advances. Israeli strategic analyses cited by the platform Mida and based on research from the Gatestone Institute suggest that this evolving coalition could redefine Israel’s geopolitical environment. The report notes that while global attention remains on Iran, a parallel Sunni diplomatic process is gaining momentum with potential long-term effects on Israel, the United States, and the wider region.

According to the analysis, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is actively strengthening cooperation among Sunni-majority nations, aiming not only to resolve past disputes but also to build a coordinated political and strategic bloc centered around Israel. Erdoğan’s February 2026 visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, followed by hosting Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Istanbul, are seen as key steps in this process. The report highlights a $350 million military framework agreement between Turkey and Egypt, covering joint arms production, intelligence sharing, and military exercises, with bilateral trade projected to reach $15 billion.

Strategically, Egypt’s control of the Suez Canal and its central role in North African and Mediterranean security could enhance the alliance’s effectiveness, potentially influencing maritime routes vital to Israel’s economy.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a proposal to designate a large portion of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” marking the first such move since Israel’s 1967 occupation. The decision targets Area C, which constitutes 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli control, with plans to establish settlements there by 2030. The move is seen as part of Israel’s broader effort to expand illegal settlements and assert sovereignty over the territory.

Jordan has condemned the decision, calling it a direct threat to its national security and to King Abdullah’s stability. The Jordanian monarch has previously warned that any displacement of Palestinians or dissolution of their national rights would cross his “red lines.” The move has also drawn condemnation from Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, other Arab and Muslim nations, the European Union, and the United Nations. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to annexation but stopped short of condemning the decision.

Analysts in Jordan view the move as sealing the fate of the Oslo Accords and accelerating the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. It could force Jordan to choose between accepting displaced Palestinians or suspending its peace treaty with Israel, a step that could reshape regional geopolitics.

Seven key Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have jointly condemned Israel’s decision to designate parts of the occupied West Bank as “state land” and expand settlements. The condemnation came on Tuesday, just before a Gaza peace summit led by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a joint statement released through Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of the eight nations described Israel’s move as “illegal” and “highly provocative.” The statement said the unilateral action aims to expand illegal settlements, seize land, and strengthen Israeli control in occupied territories, undermining the legitimate rights of Palestinians. It also cited violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334.

The statement further warned that such actions alter the legal, historical, and demographic character of the West Bank, disregard Israel’s obligation to end the occupation, and breach the prohibition on acquiring land by force. It added that unilateral measures threaten the two-state solution, reduce prospects for an independent Palestinian state, and endanger efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.

The United States has announced an expansion of its naval and air presence in the Persian Gulf region as tensions rise around Iran. President Donald Trump said a major naval fleet, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, is being deployed to monitor the situation. Military sources confirmed that the strike group, equipped with Tomahawk cruise missile–armed Arleigh Burke–class destroyers and Aegis combat systems, is en route to the Middle East from the South China Sea.

The move follows earlier large-scale US military deployments and comes amid renewed friction after incidents involving Iran’s nuclear facilities. A US official said additional air defense systems may be deployed due to potential threats from Iran. Iran’s top military and Revolutionary Guard officials warned that any attack would make all US bases in the region legitimate targets, while its foreign minister threatened retaliation.

The heightened tension has already affected air travel, with some European airlines suspending flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv. The US has also imposed new sanctions on nine ships and their owners for allegedly transporting Iranian oil, as the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution condemning Iran’s crackdown on protests.

Bloomberg reported on January 9, 2026, that Turkey is planning to join a defense agreement originally signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025. The move comes only weeks after the Trump administration’s return to the White House, marking a significant shift in Middle Eastern security politics. Analysts view Turkey’s participation as a direct challenge to the U.S. exchange-based foreign policy and a sign of Ankara’s growing independence in defense and diplomacy.

The agreement, still in its formative stage, reflects a broader transformation in how regional security is structured—no longer under a single umbrella but as a multilayered portfolio driven by trade, logistics, and industrial capacity. Saudi Arabia seeks strategic alternatives to U.S. dependence, Pakistan aims to monetize its defense assets, and Turkey wants to expand its influence without leaving NATO. The pact’s success will depend on whether it evolves beyond symbolic cooperation into a functional defense framework.

For businesses in the Gulf and Mediterranean regions, the emerging security architecture could reshape insurance costs, credit terms, and risk premiums, as financial models begin to incorporate geopolitical volatility into long-term planning.

A leaked document has alleged that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided military, intelligence, and logistical support to Israel during its ongoing military operation in Gaza. The document reportedly proposed opening UAE military bases in the Red Sea region for Israeli use. The investigative platform Emirateleaks published the secret document, dated October 2023, which was addressed to the UAE Armed Forces Joint Operations Command and authored by Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, representative of the Al-Dhafra region and chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority.

According to the report by Middle East-based outlet The Cradle, the document stated that following the October 7 attacks and under previous cooperation agreements with Israel, UAE bases in Yemen’s Al-Mokha, Eritrea’s Massawa and Assab, and Somalia were prepared to assist Israel. The bases were reportedly equipped with necessary resources to support Israeli operations against Palestinian resistance groups, with instructions for the UAE to play an active role until those groups were defeated.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health authorities reported that 24 people, including 21 children, have died amid worsening humanitarian conditions and severe winter cold under the ongoing blockade.