Live updates: Follow the latest news on US-Iran war
Sirens sounded in several Gulf countries on Thursday morning as Iran unleashed a wave of attacks on its neighbours a day after the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning its actions and calling for an immediate halt.
In the UAE, two people were killed and three were injured by falling debris following the interception of a ballistic missile over Abu Dhabi, raising the country's death toll from the war to 11.
The incident on Sweihan Road also damaged a number of vehicles, the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said. The two victims have not yet been identified.
Authorities in the UAE had issued two safety alerts on Thursday – one at 3am and the second at 8.10am.
The UAE has been the Gulf state attacked most frequently, with Iran firing more than 2,100 missiles and drones at the country as of Wednesday, according to the UAE Ministry of Defence.
Sirens sounded in Bahrain on Thursday morning, several hours after the Interior Ministry said civil defence teams had extinguished a fire in Muharraq that was caused by an Iranian attack.
Saudi Arabia reported intercepting several drones heading towards its oil-producing eastern region on Thursday morning.
A Kuwait Ministry of Defence spokesman said loud explosions heard across the country were from intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran.
The HRC resolution strongly condemns the attacks involving missiles and drones as clear breaches of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security. It also condemns breaches related to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including airports, ports, energy facilities, desalination plants and residential areas, and stresses that the states attacked are not party to the conflict.
The resolution also emphasises the rejection of any acts or threats aimed at closing, obstructing, or interfering with international navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb strait, considering such actions to be a direct threat to regional and international security and stability.
During the debate, the UN's human rights chief Volker Turk warned that the Middle East conflict was “spreading and intensifying”, with civilians bearing the brunt. “The situation is extremely dangerous and unpredictable, and has created chaos across the region, affecting Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and beyond,” he added.
The Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, Jasem Al Budaiwi, said on Thursday that Iran's actions had surpassed "all red lines”.
“Iran is purposefully targeting and launching direct attacks on the GCC countries,” said Mr Al Budaiwi, who added that Gulf nations had said they will not allow their territories to be used to attack Iran.
“They closed the Strait of Hormuz and imposed fees for passing through it, which is an aggression and a violation of the United Nations agreement on the law of the sea. Also, some vessels have been kidnapped or attacked," he said during a press briefing in Riyadh.
Mr Al Budaiwi pointed out that when Iran was attacked by Israel and the US in June, the Gulf countries held a meeting and condemned the attack.
Iraq urged to stop militia attacks
Several Gulf and Arab states have also called on Iraq to "take the necessary measures" to stop attacks being launched from its territory.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan condemned Iran's attacks in the region, as well as those by "armed factions loyal to Iran" operating in Iraq.
The six countries called on the Iraqi government to "take the necessary measures to halt the attacks launched by factions, militias and armed groups from the territory of the Republic of Iraq against its neighbouring states with immediate effect, in order to preserve fraternal relations and avoid further escalation".
They also condemned "activities that undermine the security and stability of regional states, planned by sleeper cells loyal to Iran and related terrorist organisations affiliated with Hezbollah", the Lebanese group, and other pro-Iran sleeper cells around the region, after several such cases were uncovered.
Iran-backed Iraqi militias began launching drones and rockets at US-linked sites in the country, including military bases, diplomatic missions, hotels, oilfields, refineries and residential areas, soon after the US and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28,
Neither the US nor Israel have claimed responsibility for the attacks on bases used by the groups across Iraq, which have killed dozens of their members.
It has been reported that several attacks on the region have originated from Iraq territory.
