Iran accuses US of launching Island attacks from UAE
Tehran says rockets were fired from Emirati territory at Kharg and Abu Musa islands, warning it will respond while seeking to avoid civilian areas
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Iran has accused the United States of launching attacks on two of its islands in the Persian Gulf from territory in the United Arab Emirates, escalating tensions in a region already on edge over the growing confrontation between Tehran and Washington.
Speaking on Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said American forces used locations in the UAE to fire rockets overnight at Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s oil exports and at Abu Musa Island, which sits at the strategic entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Araghchi, the attacks were carried out using the M142 HIMARS, a mobile rocket launcher capable of firing precision-guided munitions over relatively short distances.
“Last night they attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island with the artillery-rocket system HIMARS,” he said in remarks carried by Iranian media.
“They launched these rockets from the soil of our neighbours. It is crystal clear they are using our neighbours’ territory to attack us, and this is absolutely unacceptable.”
Araghchi said Iranian forces tracked the launch points and concluded that the rockets had been fired from areas in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and from another location close to Dubai.
The minister warned that launching weapons from densely populated areas was “very dangerous”, but said Iran would act carefully in any response.
“While we will definitely respond, we will exercise utmost caution to avoid striking residential buildings,” he said.
He added that Iran’s actions would fall within what he described as legitimate self-defence and would focus on American military assets in the region.
“What we are doing within the framework of legitimate defence is targeting American bases, facilities, assets and interests,” he said, noting that many of those installations are located in neighbouring countries that host US forces.
The strikes reportedly caused damage to Iranian military sites on both islands, although Tehran said its energy infrastructure was not hit.
Kharg Island is home to Iran’s main oil export terminals, while Abu Musa lies near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes.
Iran has previously warned that any attacks on its energy infrastructure would trigger large-scale retaliation against energy facilities in Persian Gulf states where the United States maintains military interests.
The latest accusations come amid rising fears that the conflict could widen across the Gulf, drawing in regional states that host American bases and logistical facilities.
With additional information from PRESS TV
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