28/03/2026
Economic and logistical infrastructure across the Gulf has come under renewed fire as the month-long regional conflict shifts toward high-value industrial targets. In Kuwait, spokesperson Abdullah Al-Rajhi confirmed drone strikes caused significant damage to the international airport’s radar systems, though no injuries were reported. Simultaneously, two drone attacks targeted Oman’s Salalah port, injuring a worker and damaging a crane.
The escalation reached a peak in the United Arab Emirates, where the defense ministry used fighter jets and air defenses to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile and drone barrage. However, falling debris ignited two fires within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), a primary industrial center, resulting in injuries to five Indian nationals.
The latest round of hostilities follows reports of Israeli strikes on Iranian steel plants, signaling a "tit-for-tat" cycle aimed at eroding economic resilience.
U.S. Central Command said the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), an America-class amphibious assault ship, has arrived in the region with about 3,500 sailors and Marines as part of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The deployment includes transport aircraft, strike fighters and amphibious assault capabilities, boosting U.S. military presence and operational flexibility.
CENTCOM also pushed back on claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it struck U.S. “hideouts” in Dubai, saying no American personnel were targeted or harmed. It described the reports as false and said they were part of a misinformation effort by Iran.
U.S. Servicemen injured
Twelve American servicemembers were wounded in an Iranian attack on the Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia on Friday, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing multiple U.S. and Arab officials. Two of the servicemembers are considered seriously wounded. Initial reports indicated that the number of wounded servicemembers was ten.
The injured servicemembers were inside a building on the base that was struck in the attack. The attack also damaged multiple U.S. refueling aircraft. At least one missile struck the base, as well as several unmanned aerial vehicles, according to two of the officials.
The missile strike is at least the second to strike the base during the war against Iran. Five refueling aircraft were damaged in an earlier strike.
The attack comes as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries inch closer to joining the war and take a more aggressive stance against Iran. The U.S. and its allies face a dwindling supply of air defense interceptors after four weeks of war.
Yemen Houthis attack southern Israel
Early Saturday morning, sirens were heard in Israel’s southern town of Beersheba and other nearby towns as the country was hit by a ballistic missile from Yemen. The attack marks the first time that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have attacked Israel as the Middle East conflict escalates.
The Houthis’ attack indicates a significant escalation in the Middle East conflict, which has lasted for almost a month and has roiled global markets.
The militant group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Israel and vowed to keep attacking until Israeli aggression on all fronts ceases. In a Telegram message, the Houthis said, "Our operations, with God’s help, will continue,” “until the aggression against all fronts of the resistance ceases.”
U.S.-Iran talks progress
President Trump’s top Iran envoy Steve Witkoff said the administration plans to meet with Iranian officials this week.
"We are negotiating. It’s clear. Some ships are coming through," Witkoff said at a gathering organized in part by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. "We think there will be meetings this week. We’re certainly hopeful for it."
Witkoff said the 15-point deal, which Iran has had for "a bit of time," requires Iran to stop enriching uranium, to give up the almost 10,000 kilograms of enriched material it has, and to agree to oversight.
"Those are red lines for us," he said. "We can’t have a second coming of North Korea in the Middle East. It’s totally destabilizing for that region and for the world."
Iran is expected to deliver its response to a U.S. 15-point plan for a potential cease-fire by the end of Friday, mediators said. While some progress has been made, Iranian officials are expected to reject several of the U.S. demands, the mediators said.
