Gulf defenses repulse Iranian attacks.. and a Qatari helicopter falls into the sea

SadaNews - On Sunday, Saudi defenses destroyed 21 drones launched by Iran towards the Eastern Province. Saudi air defenses monitored the launch of 3 ballistic missiles towards the Riyadh area, intercepting one missile while the other two fell in an uninhabited area.

This comes at a time when Qatar announced the death of 7 individuals (3 Qatari and 4 Turkish) after a technical malfunction caused the helicopter they were on to crash while performing a mission in Qatari territorial waters.

Kuwait

The Kuwaiti air defense system tracked 9 hostile ballistic missiles over the past 24 hours within Kuwaiti airspace and successfully intercepted and dealt with them without any material damage. Additionally, 4 hostile drones were detected and destroyed. The Kuwaiti armed forces confirmed their full readiness to protect the nation's security and maintain its sovereignty.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation submitted an official protest to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Sunday, regarding the serious violations and Iranian attacks on the country’s sovereignty over its airspace and Kuwait International Airport facilities.

The Authority stated in a press release to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that it emphasized in its message that "these attacks constitute a blatant violation of the international civil aviation agreements and conventions, exposing the safety of passengers, airlines, and personnel at Kuwait International Airport, in addition to the airport's facilities, to serious risks."

It explained that these events resulted in the disruption of air traffic, necessitating the suspension of all flight operations, causing significant material losses to the civil aviation sector and human injuries, as well as endangering the safety and security of passengers and facilities.

In its official message, it stressed the importance of necessary actions by the International Civil Aviation Organization to ensure the protection of airspace and civil facilities and to prevent the recurrence of such violations, ensuring the safety and security of civil aviation and Kuwait's sovereignty over its airspace and the buildings and facilities belonging to Kuwait International Airport in accordance with international standards.

It also emphasized in its message that the State of Kuwait retains all its legal rights to take whatever actions necessary to protect its security and facilities.

Bahrain

Bahrain Defense Force air defense systems intercepted successive waves of Iranian terrorist attacks, having intercepted two missiles and two drones launched by Iran on Sunday.

The Bahrain Defense Force stated that its air defense systems have intercepted and destroyed 145 missiles and 246 drones targeting Bahrain since the onset of the unprovoked attacks.

The leadership urged everyone to observe the highest levels of caution to ensure their safety, to stay far away from affected sites and suspicious objects, to refrain from photographing military operations, to avoid photographing debris crash sites, and not to spread rumors, while ensuring information is sourced from official channels and monitoring official and governmental media for information, alerts, and warnings.

The leadership pointed out that the use of ballistic missiles and drones to target civilian objects and private properties constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Charter, and these random criminal attacks represent a direct threat to regional peace and security.

The UAE

UAE air defenses dealt with four ballistic missiles and 25 drones coming from Iran on Sunday.

The UAE Ministry of Defense stated in a press release today that since the beginning of the blatant Iranian attacks, the UAE air defenses have dealt with 345 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,773 drones.

Diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, Anwar Gargash, stated on X: "The Iranian aggression against the Arab Gulf States carries deep geopolitical implications, consolidating the Iranian threat as a main focal point in Gulf strategic thinking and enhancing the uniqueness of Gulf security and its independence from traditional concepts of Arab security. The missiles, drones, and aggressive rhetoric are Iranian. The result is a strengthening of our national capabilities, common Gulf security, and the bolstering of our security partnerships with Washington."

Qatar

The Qatari Ministry of Defense stated early this morning (Sunday) that a Qatari helicopter fell into its territorial waters after suffering a technical malfunction while performing a "routine duty." The Qatari Ministry of Interior later announced that 7 individuals were killed in the helicopter crash.

The ministry added in a statement on X: "The Ministry of Defense announces that in the context of ongoing search and rescue operations for the crew and personnel of the helicopter designated for personnel transport that crashed early Sunday morning in the waters of the state, it has been confirmed that all of the following have been martyred: Captain Mubarak Salem Dwai Al-Mari, Captain Said Nasser Smeikh, Sergeant Fahd Hadi Ghanem Al-Khairan, Corporal Mohamed Maher Mohamed from the Qatari armed forces, Major Sinan Tashtkin from the Qatari-Turkish joint forces, and Suleiman Jimra Kahraman and Ismail Anas Jan from the civilian Turkish passengers aboard the aircraft."

The Gulf Cooperation Council

The Gulf Cooperation Council renewed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the ongoing Iranian attacks on the member states, which include the deliberate targeting of infrastructure and oil facilities in blatant violation of international law and norms, posing a direct threat to the security and stability of the region and the safety of global energy supplies.

Jassem Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, confirmed that the continued attacks clearly reveal the escalating approach of the Iranian government towards the member states and constitute a rejected act of aggression that undermines de-escalation efforts and threatens both regional and international security.

He emphasized that the Iranian claims attempting to hold the member states responsible for any military operations are false and categorically rejected, lacking any basis in fact.

He clarified that the member states retain their full rights, guaranteed under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and international law, to take necessary measures and actions to protect their security and stability, safeguard their resources and wealth, and respond to these attacks.

He called on the international community to bear its responsibilities in condemning the attacks, taking a firm and deterrent stance, and urging Iran to comply immediately with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026, to contribute to the cessation of these violations and maintain regional stability.

He affirmed the unity of the member states and their full solidarity in confronting any threat to their security and interests, reiterating their steadfast commitment to working together to strengthen regional stability and achieve peace for their peoples.

Targeting a cargo ship off the coast of Sharjah

The British Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that it had received a notification of an incident that occurred 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah in the UAE.

The agency stated in a report from the captain of a cargo ship that an explosion occurred due to an unidentified projectile near the vessel.

It added that all crew members are fine, while authorities are investigating the incident, and the agency advised vessels to navigate with caution and report any suspicious activity.

Ships in the Strait of Hormuz or near it have been under attack since Iran closed this vital waterway in response to American-Israeli strikes that began on February 28 against Iran.