Gulf states hosting major U.S. military bases were placed on high alert Sunday after American airstrikes destroyed Iran’s main nuclear sites, raising fears of regional retaliation and a broader conflict that could engulf key energy exporters and destabilise global security.
President Donald Trump confirmed that U.S. forces had "obliterated" key Iranian nuclear sites with bunker-busting bombs during early morning operations. He warned Tehran of further strikes unless it agrees to peace, escalating fears of a broader confrontation.
Heightened military and civilian alerts
In Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, high-level security measures were immediately enacted, sources told Reuters. In Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is based, residents were urged to avoid main roads. The interior ministry issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) urging the public to limit travel for safety and to ensure accessibility for emergency services.
Bahrain's Civil Service Bureau also ordered 70% of government employees to work remotely until further notice. At the same time, the kingdom activated its national emergency plan, launched an emergency operations centre, tested sirens, and opened 33 shelters for civilian use.
Kuwait's defence council, meanwhile, declared a state of continuous session and began preparing shelters in major ministry compounds, as reported by the state news agency.
Nuclear safety and U.S. military assets at risk
Authorities in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates confirmed there were no immediate signs of nuclear contamination as a result of the U.S. strikes. However, the risk of retaliation remains high.
Tehran has previously vowed to target U.S. assets in the region, including major military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, if attacked.
"The direct involvement of the United States marks a critical threshold," said Hasan Al Hasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "This risks drawing the Gulf states, particularly those hosting major U.S. military installations, into a wider and potentially protracted conflict."
Aviation disruptions intensify
The fallout has extended to global air travel. Singapore Airlines cancelled its scheduled flights to Dubai, while British Airways suspended routes to and from Dubai and Doha. The ongoing missile exchanges and instability have led multiple airlines to reroute flights away from Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian, and Israeli airspace.
As Gulf states heighten their emergency responses, the region remains on edge. The escalation following U.S. strikes on Iran is testing the resilience of regional security frameworks and threatening to disrupt both global energy supplies and civilian life in key partner states.
A coalition of over 60 rights organisations has signed a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron demanding reparations for Haiti, whose e...
Scientists have discovered thriving animal communities living off chemicals, not sunlight, at record depths in the Pacific Ocean’s Kuril-Kamchatka a...
Voice actors across Europe are sounding the alarm over the rise of artificial intelligence in the dubbing industry, warning that the use of AI-generat...
AnewZ and Agenzia di Stampa Italpress have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation to develop and strengthen ties in the media sector....
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on imports from India starting August 1, along with an a...
Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has acknowledged that Iran’s previous military exercises near its northwestern borders were deliberately aimed at countering the proposed “Zangezur Corridor” initiative.
Iran and the E3 group—France, Britain, and Germany—have begun talks in Istanbul, the first since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran has dismissed Western pressure and insists its nuclear stance remains unchanged.
Iran is grappling with a worsening water crisis, with more than 20 of its 31 provinces suffering from severe shortages that have left the capital Tehran facing the risk of running dry.
European diplomats are set to meet Iran in Istanbul on Friday for the first time since U.S. and Israeli strikes in June, aiming to prevent the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal. With a looming October deadline and enriched uranium unaccounted for, stakes are high.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
The Russian state news agency has reported that Shahin Shykhlinski, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, has been declared wanted in connection with a criminal offense.
A two-day official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye concluded with the signing of 20 agreements aimed at expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries in key areas, including mining and rare earth minerals, space and technology, energy, and logistics.
The 5th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, chaired by the two countries’ leaders was held on Tuesday in Ankara. The meeting was focused on strengthening cooperation in the areas of economy, transport, and investment.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched its new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Azerbaijan for 2025–2029, centred on two key pillars: enabling a green and diversified economy, and fostering low-carbon connectivity and inclusive development.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment