Free Republic

...Dubai was supposed to be safe. Instead, it has been under attack by Iran since Feb. 28. More than 260 ballistic missiles and over 1,500 drones have been detected over the U.A.E.; most have been intercepted, but their percussive booms have become part of the city’s soundscape. ...The attacks struck at the fundamental premise of Dubai’s model as a new type of global metropolis. It’s developed into what could be called a city as platform — less a rooted place with people and history than a blank slate for the exchange of capital. Its success has even spawned a term,...

As the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel intensifies, one country has emerged as the principal target of Tehran’s retaliatory campaign. Data compiled by Gulf officials shows that nearly half of the missiles and drones launched by Iran since the start of the war have been directed at the United Arab Emirates, making it the most heavily struck country in the region. Officials say the country has been hit by 1,728 Iranian missiles and drones, accounting for roughly 44 percent of the total attacks launched by Tehran. Kuwait ranks as the second-most targeted country, drawing about 24 percent...

Iran continues to launch hundreds of drones towards the Gulf nations, including new rounds of attacks on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain over the last few days. “13 drones [were] downed east of Riyadh city and eight [were] destroyed upon entering Saudi airspace.” The report added, “Drone attacks continue despite an apology given by Iranian officials to Gulf states.” Additionally, “Saudi Arabia’s air defenses neutralized a fresh wave of drone attacks on Sunday Iran also targeted Aramco’s Shaybah oil field with 21 drones. on Saturday, Saudi defenses intercepted five ballistic missiles launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in...

Following our bombing of Iran, we are hearing the usual caterwauling from the Left about international law. Of course, no one invokes international law when Iran kills our servicemen, or when Hamas massacres Israelis, or when Iran launches missiles against the United Arab Emirates, and so on. There is a certain asymmetry in the invocation of international law.I took a course in international law when I was in law school. It was taught by a distinguished scholar in that field. As I recall, the first section of the course was devoted to the question, is there such a thing as...

Keir Starmer has said the conflict engulfing the Middle East could continue “for some time” as he insisted the best way forward in the longer term was a negotiated settlement with Iran. The prime minister said the UK was doing “everything we can” to de-escalate the situation, a clear contrast to the US president, who is focused on regime change and has said it was “too late” for Tehran to negotiate. He defended his decision to block initial offensive strikes by the US and Israel at the weekend, saying he stood by his judgment and denying it had damaged the...

The Iranian drone strikes that hit Amazon Web Services facilities in the Middle East have thrust a new question to the forefront of the tech industry: Should data centers be defended like military assets? The attacks — the first known military strikes at an American hyperscaler’s infrastructure — damaged two AWS sites in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain, disrupting services across the region and underscoring how critical data infrastructure is emerging as a potential target in modern warfare. “[Physical attacks] are only going to become more common moving forward as AI becomes more and more significant,” Sam...

Dubai expats have been flooding social media with posts insisting the country remains the 'safest place on Earth' - as frightened holidaymakers and British nationals scramble for flights home, with some families paying up to £100,000 for private jets to escape the war-shaken Gulf state. The extraordinary online campaign comes despite Iranian missiles and suicide drones striking across the region, leaving airports disrupted, flights cancelled and thousands of ordinary Britons desperate to get home. While the United Arab Emirates government insists its air defences are successfully intercepting most incoming attacks, the Daily Mail has learned that behind carefully curated Instagram...

On Sunday afternoon, protesters in Islamabad pressed shoulder to shoulder, most of them dressed in black, and chanted slogans that rippled through the crowd. “Death to America, death to Israel,” they shouted in unison. Among them was also Kazim Hussain, who clutched a portrait of Ayatollah Khamenei. The student, also an activist affiliated with Shia group Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), believes that the crisis unfolding in Iran was not a distant geopolitical conflict playing out beyond Pakistan’s western border. For him, it is deeply personal and emotionally moving.“This is not just an attack on Iran. It concerns all Shia Muslims,”...

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said this week that Doha has “no information” about alleged Israeli intelligence cells operating in the country, after US media personality Tucker Carlson asserted that Qatari and Saudi authorities had arrested “Mossad agents” (Israel’s foreign intelligence agency) planning bombings in both countries. Carlson made the allegation in a widely shared segment posted by the Tucker Carlson Network under the title “BREAKING: Mossad Agents Arrested in Planned Bombing Operation,” describing the purported arrests as an unreported “fact.”

US political commentator and journalist Tucker Carlson claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar had caught and “arrested Israeli Mossad agents planning bombings in those countries”. “Why would the Israelis be committing bombings in Gulf countries, which are also being attacked by Iran?” Carlson said on his show. “Aren’t they on the same side?” “Israel wants to hurt Iran - and Qatar, and the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, and Oman and Kuwait,” he added. Carlson also alleged that Israel deliberately sows chaos among America’s Arab allies. The American journalist did not cite a source for the claim,...

Decision follows US and Israeli strikes on Iran in a rising threat to Gulf oil flowsOpec+ has agreed to increase output by 206,000 barrels per day from April, following one of the alliance’s most consequential meetings in years, held against the backdrop of US and Israeli strikes on Iran and rising threats to Gulf oil flows. The figure falls between the 137,000 bpd base case most analysts had anticipated and the more aggressive increases of 400,000 to 500,000 bpd that had been suggested. “The eight participating countries decided to resume the unwinding of the 1.65 million bpd of additional voluntary...

Saudi Arabia said it’s ready to put “all its capabilities” at its allies’ disposal, warning of “grave consequences” if retaliatory Iranian strikes continue — sparking fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. It comes after the Islamic Republic launched a barrage of missiles on US military bases in Saudia Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Jordan — in retaliation for US and Israel military strikes against Tehran overnight. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in strongest terms the blatant Iranian aggression,” the Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said on a statement on X Saturday. Iranian strikes...

A major geopolitical flashpoint erupted across the Middle East on Saturday after Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting multiple Gulf nations, prompting Saudi Arabia to issue a blistering condemnation of what it described as “brutal Iranian aggression.” Saudi officials made it clear that Riyadh is standing in full solidarity with the nations targeted in Saturday’s coordinated Iranian assault. In its statement, the Kingdom warned that the attacks represent blatant violations of international law and expressed its readiness to assist its regional allies with “all its capabilities.” According to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry: The Kingdom of Saudi...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has reportedly been killed in the military strikes, according to unconfirmed reports from Israel's Channel 12. Iran's Foreign Minister has denied these reports. GB News has not independently verified these claims and the situation remains developing. This comes as US and Israeli forces launched major combat operations against Iran, with explosions reported across multiple Middle Eastern countries including Bahrain, UAE and Kuwait.

Loud explosions were heard in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, the AFP news agency reported. Iran has announced that all US and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets after the country was jointly attacked by the US and Israel. Qatar's defence ministry on Saturday said that it has downed all missiles targeting the country. Explosions were also heard in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, Reuters news agency reported.

The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Forces announced Saturday that air defense systems successfully intercepted a new missile attack launched by Iran.The Bahrain News Agency quoted the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Forces as confirming that the situation is stable and under control, with no injuries or loss of life resulting from this hostile missile attack. The process of securing the site of the attack continues to ensure the safety of citizens and residents in the area.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior announced the commencement of evacuation operations for citizens and residents in the Juffair area, calling for full...

Plumes of black smoke were seen rising above an area near the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet Iranian forces say they have struck a US naval base in Bahrain, as Iran launched strikes across the region in retaliation for a "massive" and ongoing attack against it by the US and Israel. Huge plumes of black smoke were seen rising from an area near the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain. The extent of any damage is unclear and the US has not commented. Elsewhere across the region, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait - all...

In recent hours, multiple USAF C-17 Globemaster III aircraft have been shuttling between the Gulf, Souda Bay, Sofia and Ramstein Air Base, highlighting the scale of the logistical effort behind the ongoing American military buildup toward the Middle East. These heavy transports, some departing directly from the Gulf and others repositioning from Eastern Europe, are now forming a continuous bridge with Germany. The operation underscores how sustainment — not just combat aircraft — is shaping the strategic picture. The flights tracked today include several C-17s rotating northbound toward Ramstein, which is once again acting as the primary European hub for...

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said on Monday it was following up with “high interest and concern” on the maritime coordinates and map recently submitted by Iraq to the United Nations. The ministry said in a statement that the coordinates and map included infringement on areas adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti divided zone, where both countries share natural resources in the area according to previous agreements between them. For more Saudi news, visit our dedicated page. The ministry added that the Kingdom rejects “claims” that any other side has the right to the divided submerged area between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It...

New satellite imagery and flight-tracking data show a significant buildup of U.S. military aircraft at a key air base in central Jordan, as tensions rise over Iran's nuclear program, The New York Times reported Friday. Images captured Friday reveal more than 60 U.S. attack aircraft parked at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base — roughly three times the number typically stationed there.Flight data also indicate that at least 68 cargo planes have landed at the base since Sunday, suggesting a surge of personnel, equipment, and logistical support. More fighter jets may be positioned under protective shelters. The images show advanced aircraft, including...