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3. Gulf Countries Respond to Regional Escalation

In an official statement, the UAE said, “The Iranian attack on our territory is a serious escalation and a cowardly act.” The UAE added that it reserves the right to respond to the missile attack in accordance with international law after Iranian ballistic missiles targeted U.S. military bases in the Gulf.

For its part, Saudi Arabia said in an official statement: “We condemn the brutal Iranian attack on the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan.” The statement added, “We are deploying all our capabilities” to support these countries, as regional air defenses were activated and several Gulf states reported interceptions over their territory.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Arabia's de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday urged a halt to escalation and return to dialogue in what marked one of the most direct cross-border exchanges between Iran and U.S.-aligned states in years.

On a call “both sides emphasised the necessity of an immediate halt to any escalatory actions and a return to the dialogue table to preserve regional security and prevent a slide toward broader confrontations,” the Qatari ruler's office said in a statement, as fears mounted of a broader regional war.

Oman called on all parties to stop fighting on Saturday, warning of “dire consequences” as the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which has retaliated with wide-ranging missile attacks across the region.

The foreign ministry of Oman, a mediator in recent U.S.-Iran talks, expressed “deep regret over the military operations launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the danger of the conflict escalating into something with dire consequences for the region”, as diplomatic channels struggled to contain the fallout from the escalation.

Oman said it calls “on all parties to immediately cease military operations and urges the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to impose a ceasefire”, reflecting growing international concern over the pace of events.

Additionally, the U.S. embassy in Bahrain said it will close on Sunday after Iranian missiles targeted Manama, underscoring heightened security precautions across U.S. diplomatic missions in the Gulf.