Missile and drone attacks have struck key energy and infrastructure sites in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, injuring civilians and raising fears of a broader regional escalation on day 35 of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Kuwait Facilities Targeted
Authorities in Kuwait said a power and desalination plant was hit in an air strike before midday on Friday, though the facility was not named and the extent of damage remains unclear.
Hours earlier, drone strikes targeted the Al-Ahmadi refinery—one of the region’s largest—sparking fires in multiple operational units. Emergency crews contained the blaze, and no casualties were reported at the site.
Officials blamed Iran for both attacks. However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied responsibility, instead accusing Israel of carrying out the strikes and condemning what it described as an attack on civilian infrastructure.
Air raid sirens were heard across Kuwait as air defences intercepted incoming projectiles. The country remains on high alert, with repeated strikes reported in recent weeks.
Injuries and Fires in UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, at least 12 people were injured after debris from intercepted missiles fell in Abu Dhabi’s Ajban area. Officials said the আহত included foreign nationals from Nepal and India.
Falling debris also triggered a fire at the Habshan gas facility, a major processing site. Operations there have been suspended while authorities assess the damage.
The UAE said its air defence systems intercepted dozens of incoming threats in recent days, including ballistic missiles and drones. Despite interceptions, cumulative casualties have risen, with authorities reporting deaths and injuries among service personnel and civilians since the conflict intensified.
Regional Tensions Escalate
Neighbouring Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a drone in its airspace, while Bahrain activated missile alerts multiple times overnight.
The attacks mark an expansion of targets beyond military sites, increasingly hitting energy infrastructure critical to regional economies and global supply chains.
Data Centres and Strategic Threats
Iran has also signalled a widening scope of retaliation, with threats to target technology and energy infrastructure linked to US interests.
State media in Tehran claimed a strike on a data centre linked to Oracle in Dubai, though local authorities dismissed the report as false.
Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services confirmed that two of its data centres in the UAE were directly hit earlier in the week, with limited disruption reported.
An Iranian military spokesperson warned that further attacks could target regional power plants and telecommunications infrastructure if US strikes on Iranian facilities continue.
Strategic Risks to Water and Energy Supply
Kuwait and other Gulf states rely heavily on desalination for fresh water, making such facilities highly sensitive targets. A previous strike on similar infrastructure in Kuwait last month resulted in at least one fatality.
With energy facilities, water infrastructure and digital systems increasingly under threat, analysts warn the conflict is entering a more dangerous phase with direct implications for civilian life and global markets.
