Iran Launches Missile Wave, Warns UAE Ports Amid US Strikes

The incident came moments after a spokesperson from Iran's military warned that Tehran could target ports and docks in the United Arab Emirates after recent US strikes on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran's oil exports.

The warning came as tensions escalated in the Gulf following US missile strikes on military facilities on Kharg Island on Friday.

Saturday's warning specifically addressed the UAE, urging civilians to avoid ports and docks.

"We warn the UAE leadership that the Islamic Republic of Iran views it as its legitimate right to strike the origins of American missile launches--those concealed in ports, docks, and shelters used by US forces under the cover of Emirati cities--in defence of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, said, as quoted by CNN.

According to CNN, Kharg handles around 90 per cent of Iran's crude oil exports and is considered vital for the country's economy. US officials and Iranian state media said that the strikes did not hit oil infrastructure or targets related to oil trade.

Earlier today, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated in a post on X that over 90 Iranian military targets were hit on Kharg Island.

"Last night, U.S. forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island, Iran. The strike destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites. U.S. forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island while preserving the oil infrastructure," the post read.

Iran has maintained that its attacks in the Gulf have been aimed at US military interests, though hotels, civilian high-rises, and key oil infrastructure have reportedly been hit across the region.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that Tehran has vowed to increase the use of upgraded weapons systems -- particularly ballistic missiles and other high-impact munitions with greater destructive potential -- as part of its broader offensive strategy.

- ANI