Iran has issued a warning for individuals to evacuate bustling ports that it claims are now considered “legitimate targets.” Mizan, the official judiciary news agency in Iran, asserted, without substantiation, that US military forces are present in the civilian ports of Jebel Ali, Khalifa, and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, thus making these ports potential targets for Iranian assaults.
The agency advised people in and around these ports to evacuate immediately, citing the possibility of these facilities being targeted in the near future. Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, the busiest in the Middle East, witnessed smoke rising from it after an Iranian attack on March 1.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that all citizens, port personnel, and individuals near Jebel Ali, Khalifa, and Fujairah ports are urged to vacate the areas promptly to ensure their safety. In a separate incident today, a drone interception led to a fire near Fujairah’s port, although there were no reported casualties.
According to Iran’s state television, 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. This prompted a general call for the evacuation of areas where US forces are believed to be sheltered in UAE cities.
Gulf Arab states have been subjected to a series of Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting oil fields, cities, and vital infrastructure during the ongoing conflict. The UAE’s Defence Ministry disclosed that nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were fired towards the country on the same day. Since February 28, a total of 1,600 drones, 294 ballistic missiles, and 15 cruise missiles have been launched at the UAE, resulting in six fatalities and 141 injuries.
The recent threat to ports in the UAE comes following earlier warnings from Iran’s military command, indicating intentions to target cities allegedly used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran’s Abu Musa and Kharg islands. The US conducted an operation on Kharg Island recently, a crucial part of Iran’s oil network, leaving its oil infrastructure intact. However, former President Donald Trump cautioned that any interference with ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz might prompt a reconsideration of the decision not to target the island’s oil infrastructure.