Iran has advised the evacuation of busy ports it deems as “legitimate targets.” Mizan, Iran’s official judiciary news agency, has claimed, without evidence, that US forces are situated in the civilian ports of Jebel Ali, Khalifa, and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, making these ports vulnerable to Iranian attacks.
Citizens in and around these ports have been instructed to evacuate immediately as the facilities may face targeting in the near future. Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, the busiest in the Middle East, witnessed smoke rising from it after an Iranian strike on March 1.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency has urged all individuals, including citizens, port personnel, and those in the vicinity of Jebel Ali, Khalifa, and Fujairah, to leave the areas promptly to ensure their safety. Earlier today, a drone interception near Fujairah’s port resulted in a fire, with no reported casualties, according to the Fujairah media office.
Iran’s state television reported that the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters alleged, without evidence, that US forces had launched attacks on Iran from ports, docks, and hideouts within cities in the UAE. Consequently, a general call was made for people to evacuate locations where US forces are sheltered in UAE cities.
Gulf Arab states have been facing continuous and at times deadly Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting oil fields, cities, and critical infrastructure during the conflict. The UAE’s Defence Ministry disclosed that nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were fired towards the UAE on the current day, bringing the total number of projectiles launched at the country since February 28 to 1,600 drones, 294 ballistic missiles, and 15 cruise missiles, resulting in six fatalities and 141 injuries.
The recent threat to ports in the UAE comes after warnings from Iran’s military command earlier today, stating intentions to target cities allegedly used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran’s Abu Musa and Kharg islands. The US carried out an attack on Kharg Island overnight, which has become a focal point in the Middle East conflict due to its significance in Iran’s oil network.
Although the strike on Kharg Island left its oil infrastructure untouched, Donald Trump cautioned that any interference with ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a reconsideration of the decision not to destroy the island. Trump emphasized the potent bombing raid executed by the US Central Command on Kharg Island and underscored the capability to wipe out the oil infrastructure if necessary to secure the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.