Chaos across Middle East as Iran launches missile barrage, eyes US bases and Israel: 'No red lines'

Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. (REUTERS)

• Iran declares US and Israeli assets in Mideast as targets
• Iran fires missiles at Israel, Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar
• Missile attack on US Navy’s Fifth Fleet HQ in Bahrain

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Iran has declared that “all American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East” are now legitimate targets, after launching a wave of ballistic missiles across the region in retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes near offices linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The fresh escalation marks one of Tehran’s most direct warnings yet, with a senior Iranian official telling Al Jazeera that there are “no red lines after this aggression, and everything is possible, including scenarios that were not previously considered”.

Missiles and blasts across the Gulf

According to Reuters, Iran simultaneously fired ballistic missiles toward Israel, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The agency reported that another massive explosion was heard in Dubai.

Explosions were also reported in Abu Dhabi and Doha, while AFP cited residents in the UAE capital who said they heard loud blasts. AFP further reported explosions across Doha and Riyadh. A missile was intercepted by Qatari air defences, according to reports.

It was not immediately clear whether US air bases in Abu Dhabi or Doha were directly hit.

In Abu Dhabi, the UAE Air Force shares the Al Dhafra Air Base with the US Air Force. The UAE had earlier announced a temporary and partial closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure.

In Qatar, the Al Udeid Air Base serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command.

Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. In a statement, Bahrain’s National Communication Centre said the “Fifth Fleet’s service centre was subjected to a missile attack” and that further details would follow. The fleet’s area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean, with several US ships homeported in Bahrain.

The US is also reported to have more than 2,000 troops in Saudi Arabia, some stationed about 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. It was not immediately clear whether those positions were targeted.

The trigger: Pre-emptive US-Israeli strikes

The escalation follows what Israel described as pre-emptive strikes inside Iran, carried out with US support.

US President Donald Trump said the military operation was aimed at defending Americans from imminent threats.

“Short time ago, the US military began major combat operation in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump said.

“Iran must not have nuclear weapons. Never… We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their Navy.”

Israel confirms incoming missiles

The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israeli territory following the joint strikes.

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said in a post on X, adding that the Home Front Command had issued precautionary mobile phone alerts instructing residents in affected areas to seek shelter.

Iran: response has “no time limit”

The senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera that Tehran’s response would be complex and open-ended.

“The United States and Israel have started an aggression and a war that will have wide and long-lasting repercussions,” the official said. “We were not surprised by the joint American-Israeli aggression, and we have a complex response with no time limit.”

Any calls for restraint or surrender, the official added, are “unacceptable and mere wishful thinking”.