Iran’s oil refinery hit; missiles pound UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon despite ceasefire

Iran’s oil refinery hit; missiles pound UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon despite ceasefire

IRAN, APR 8 : The Middle East remained on the boil on Wednesday, as Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain and Lebanon were all caught in a fresh wave of strikes despite the announcement of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, raising serious doubts over the truce’s durability.

A wave of fresh attacks – from Iran’s own oil infrastructure being hit to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain coming under Iranian missile and drone fire and Israeli strikes intensifying in Lebanon – cast immediate doubt over whether the two-week ceasefire can hold.

Just hours after Washington and Tehran agreed to pause hostilities, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait all activated their air defence systems to intercept incoming threats, even as the truce, brokered with Pakistan’s involvement, was meant to halt a six-week conflict that has destabilised the region, according to Al Jazeera.

In the UAE, authorities said air defences were “actively engaging” missiles and drones originating from Iran. The Defence Ministry confirmed that explosions heard across multiple locations were the result of interception operations involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“The air defences are currently dealing with missiles and drones coming from Iran,” the ministry said.

Officials added that a gas processing facility in Abu Dhabi was set ablaze following incoming strikes, highlighting the continued vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure. The UAE has faced repeated attacks in recent weeks as Iran targeted fossil fuel assets in response to US and Israeli strikes.

Kuwait too reported a sustained wave of drone attacks beginning early Wednesday. Its military said air defence systems intercepted multiple UAVs launched since the morning, Al Jazeera reported.

The Kuwaiti Defence Ministry said 28 drones were neutralised during what it described as “intense hostile Iranian attacks,” with some targeting key installations such as oil facilities, power stations and water desalination plants.

“Kuwaiti armed forces intercepted many drones, some of which targeted vital oil installations and power stations in the south of the country,” it said, adding that the strikes caused “serious infrastructure damage.”

In Bahrain, authorities reported two injuries and property damage after debris from intercepted drones fell in the Sitra area. “Two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone,” the Interior Ministry said.

Explosions were also heard in the capital, Manama, with smoke rising from Sitra Island, a major energy hub. Civil defence teams said they had brought a fire at a targeted facility under control, though details remained limited, the Al Jazeera report said.

Saudi Arabia’s key East-West oil pipeline was hit in an Iranian attack, disrupting a crucial route carrying about 7 million barrels per day to the Red Sea port of Yanbu after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively shut. Flows are now expected to be impacted as damage is assessed, further exacerbating global oil supplies.

Even as Gulf states came under attack, Iranian state television reported that an oil refinery on Lavan Island was struck earlier in the day. Firefighters were working to contain the blaze, though no casualties were reported.

The conflict’s spillover was also visible in Lebanon, where Israel continued its parallel military campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah. A wave of Israeli strikes hit multiple districts of Beirut, even as Tel Aviv made clear the US-Iran ceasefire did not apply to Lebanon.

Lebanese media reported ongoing strikes in the south, including artillery shelling and an air strike near a hospital that killed four people. Officials in Beirut said they were not part of the ceasefire talks and had received no indication they would be covered by the agreement.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the large wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah, codenamed “Eternal Darkness”, involved 50 fighter jets dropping some 160 bombs on 100 targets within 10 minutes.

The IDF said it bombed around 100 Hezbollah command centres and other military infrastructure in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon during the strikes, The Times of Israel reported.

Iran has threatened to back out from the ceasefire deal if the Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued.

The renewed violence in Lebanon came despite the ceasefire being finalised shortly before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Tehran to comply with key demands, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz – a critical oil transit route – or face massive US strikes on Iran’s power plants and bridges.

The strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has been central to the conflict, with Iran disrupting shipping lanes in recent weeks, sending shockwaves through global energy markets.

Wednesday’s developments highlight the precarious nature of the ceasefire, with hostilities continuing across multiple fronts. Analysts warn that the agreement may offer only a temporary pause in a wider regional war that has already killed thousands and triggered unprecedented disruption to global oil supplies.

Despite diplomatic efforts, including backchannel engagement involving Pakistan, the ground reality suggests the conflict remains far from contained – and the region, firmly on edge.

-AFP