Explosions were heard in the UAE’s Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Qatar’s Doha, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh hours after Israel and the US conducted joint attacks on Iran, plunging the Middle East into a new conflict. The United States’ base in Bahrain has witnessed a missile attack.

Two Abu Dhabi residents told the news agency AFP that they heard the blasts. Explosions were also heard across Doha and Riyadh, AFP reported.

It was not immediately clear if the US troops in Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh were attacked.

In Abu Dhabi, the UAE Air Force and the US Air Force share the Al Dhafra Air Base. The UAE had earlier closed its airspace “temporarily and partially” as an exceptional precautionary measure.

In Doha, the 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base is the forward headquarters for US Central Command.

The US reportedly has over 2,000 soldiers in Saudi Arabia, with some of them being stationed roughly 60 km south of Riyadh, at Prince Sultan Air Base. The base supports US Army assets, including Patriot missile batteries and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence systems.

US Fleet Struck In Bahrain

Bahrain also said that a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Manama.

“The Fifth Fleet’s service centre was subjected to a missile attack. We will provide you with details later,” Bahrain’s National Communication Centre said in a statement.

The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. Several US ships have their home port in Bahrain, including anti-mine vessels and logistical support ships.

Sirens were also sounded in Jordan.

Kuwait also said its air defence was “engaged with incoming missiles”.

Israel, US Attack Iran

The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

President Donald Trump said that the US had begun “major combat operations in Iran”. and the Pentagon dubbed the strikes “Operation Epic Fury”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the action as a “joint operation” aimed at confronting what he termed an “existential threat” from Iran.

Iran also launched missiles towards Israel, Israel’s military said.

Flights Suspended

Global airlines suspended flights across the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Israel, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have shut their airspace.