Hundreds of drones have been launched toward several Gulf states including Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the expanding war involving Iran spreads across the Middle East.

Regional defense authorities reported waves of unmanned aerial vehicles targeting military facilities, energy infrastructure and locations linked to foreign forces across multiple countries.

Air defense systems in several Gulf states were activated to intercept the incoming drones, with many of the aircraft reportedly destroyed before reaching their intended targets.

The attacks form part of a broader campaign of missile and drone strikes that Iranian forces and allied groups have launched across the region following the outbreak of hostilities.

Military officials say the assaults have targeted locations connected to United States and allied military deployments as well as strategic infrastructure.

Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were among the countries placed on heightened alert as radar systems detected large numbers of incoming drones.

Security authorities across the Gulf have deployed air-defense batteries and fighter aircraft to counter the threat, while governments urged residents in affected areas to remain cautious.

Regional governments have condemned the attacks as violations of national sovereignty and warned that such strikes risk further destabilizing an already volatile situation.

Several Gulf nations issued joint statements denouncing the drone and missile campaign and calling for international efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading further.

Defense officials in the United Arab Emirates said their air-defense systems had detected and intercepted numerous projectiles since the outbreak of hostilities, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and hundreds of drones aimed at the country.

Similar interception operations have been reported in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where authorities said many of the drones were neutralized before causing major damage.

Despite the large number of interceptions, some strikes have resulted in casualties and infrastructure damage.

A drone attack on a U.S. operations facility in Kuwait reportedly killed several American service members, while other incidents have caused fires and limited structural damage in parts of the Gulf region.

The expanding wave of drone attacks illustrates how the conflict is rapidly widening beyond its original battlefield.

Analysts say Iran’s extensive use of drones reflects a strategy aimed at overwhelming air-defense systems across multiple countries while projecting power across a broad geographic area.

Airspace closures and heightened military activity have disrupted commercial aviation and shipping across the region, further highlighting the conflict’s growing global impact.

Governments across the Middle East remain on high alert as defense forces continue to monitor incoming threats and prepare for the possibility of additional strikes.