Gulf Nations Join Air Defence Operations Against Iran as Middle East Conflict Widens

Several Gulf nations have joined defensive military operations against Iranian missile and drone strikes, senior US military officials confirmed at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday — marking a significant widening of the regional response to the ongoing conflict.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Dan Caine, said multiple US partners have already intercepted Iranian projectiles targeting cities, energy facilities, and strategic infrastructure.

"Our partners are answering the call to defend themselves right alongside us," Caine said.

The scale of regional involvement spans the Gulf. Jordan's air defence crews intercepted a cluster of Iranian one-way attack drones headed toward Amman.

Bahrain shot down a drone approaching maritime infrastructure near Manama, protecting both its civilian population and critical shipping lanes.

Saudi Arabia's Patriot batteries intercepted a salvo of ballistic missiles aimed at energy facilities near Dhahran — a significant target given the kingdom's role as the region's largest oil producer.

The UAE neutralised multiple drones targeting Abu Dhabi's industrial zone. Qatar, which hosts a major US military base, saw its fighter jets shoot down two Iranian bombers — the first time Qatari forces have directly engaged Iranian aircraft.

Kuwait has also been involved in the regional defensive response, US officials confirmed.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth framed the Gulf states' involvement as a direct response to Iranian aggression against civilian and economic targets.

"What you're seeing right now is a response in the region to the belligerence of Iran and its willingness to target civilian airports, hotels, other civilian locations, and oil infrastructure of its Gulf neighbours," Hegseth said.

He added that countries across the region were providing varying levels of operational support to the United States — ranging from direct engagement to access, basing, and overflight rights.

Pentagon officials said the integration of US and Gulf air defence systems has allowed for more efficient use of munitions while improving overall effectiveness.

"The air defence capabilities of those countries are significant, and when combined with ours, it simplifies the shot doctrine, ensuring we use fewer munitions while being more effective with what we engage," Hegseth said.

In a separate development, Hegseth confirmed that the United States is deploying autonomous systems and artificial intelligence-enabled technologies as part of Operation Epic Fury — though he declined to provide specifics.

"We've got a lot of autonomous systems or systems that are drones and others incorporated with smart AI aspects to them. A lot of which I can't talk about here," he said.

The United States launched Operation Epic Fury four days ago following escalating Iranian missile attacks and growing concerns over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The conflict has since expanded across air, sea, and missile domains, with US forces targeting Iranian missile launchers, naval assets, and military infrastructure.

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