Iranian Strike on UAE Exposes Vulnerability of Gulf’s Energy Infrastructure

Iran’s missile strike on Fujairah in the UAE on Saturday exposed just how vulnerable the Gulf region’s energy infrastructure had become as the US-Iran conflict entered its third week with no end in sight. Oil-loading operations at the emirate’s major port were suspended after ballistic missiles struck the area, with dark smoke rising over a hub that services thousands of vessels each year. Iran’s military warned civilians near UAE ports and US installations to evacuate, signalling that further strikes were possible and that no energy facility in the region was safe.
The attack was consistent with Iran’s broader strategy of using economic disruption as a weapon against American allies. Tehran’s military had explicitly threatened to strike any Gulf energy or infrastructure facility with ties to American companies, and Saturday’s attack on Fujairah was a demonstration of that intent. Iran’s foreign minister also called on Arab governments to remove US forces from the region, arguing that American military bases were being used to attack Iranian territory. Gulf states hosting US installations found themselves increasingly caught in the crossfire.
The United States pressed forward with its own campaign, bombing Kharg Island for the second consecutive day. President Trump said in public remarks the facility had been effectively demolished and suggested further strikes were possible. He called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked since hostilities began on February 28. The strait carries about 20 percent of global oil and gas, and its closure had driven prices toward $120 per barrel. Analysts warned that price could climb to $150 if further damage was done to Gulf energy infrastructure.
Israel conducted dozens of airstrikes inside Iran, targeting missile systems and security forces. At least 15 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a factory in Isfahan. Iran fired rockets at Israel in return. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Iranian leaders were in hiding and that the new supreme leader had been wounded. Iranian officials confirmed Khamenei’s injury but said it was minor. The International Crisis Group assessed the regime as structurally intact and capable of pursuing a long war.
The human toll of the conflict was mounting across every front. More than 1,400 Iranians had been killed in sustained bombing. Thirteen Israelis and roughly 20 Gulf residents had died. Lebanon’s crisis continued, with 800 killed and 850,000 displaced from Israeli operations against Hezbollah. Six US troops died in a military aircraft crash in Iraq. The US embassy in Baghdad was struck overnight, and Americans in Iraq were ordered to leave. With energy infrastructure under threat and Trump offering no end date, analysts warned the region was moving deeper into crisis with every passing day.