Blasts heard over Dubai and Doha; Kuwait confirms several US military aircraft crashed, all crew safe

Explosions were heard in Gulf cities, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, on Monday as Iran continued to attack several neighbouring nations, targeting both military installations and civilian infrastructure in an unprecedented regional escalation.

Israel and Hezbollah also exchanged fire, further stretching the conflict beyond its initial flashpoints.

In Bahrain, witnesses described being awakened by "huge bangs and wailing sirens", with multiple explosions heard overnight.

Initially, Iranian strikes appeared focused on military targets such as the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. However, the target list seems to have expanded to include airports and other civilian facilities.

High-rise residential buildings, luxury hotels, shopping centres and modern airport terminals, symbols of Gulf prosperity, have faced sporadic strikes as air defence systems attempt to respond to the volume of incoming threats.

A fighter jet crashed near a US air base in Kuwait, according to an online video geolocated by CNN, adding to growing concerns about the expanding war.

The crash occurred as Iran intensified its campaign across the Gulf following joint US-Israeli strikes on its territory.

A senior Iranian official has also stated that Tehran "will not negotiate" with Washington, signalling continued confrontation.

Drone Debris Sparks Fire at Saudi Aramco Facility

Falling debris from an intercepted Iranian drone triggered a "limited fire" at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery, Saudi Defence Ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said, according to Al Arabiya. Ras Tanura is one of the world's largest oil export terminals and plays a crucial role in global crude supply chains.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged that additional American casualties were possible after three US service members were killed in Kuwait. The admission underscored the rising human cost of the escalating hostilities.

Earlier on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said it had intercepted 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 Iranian drones. Despite the interceptions, residents across the region reported blasts and sirens.

Saudi Arabia and Oman have so far been less severely impacted. Oman reported a drone strike on its commercial port of Duqm, while Saudi authorities said attacks targeting Riyadh and the Eastern Province were successfully intercepted, condemning them as unjustified aggression.

Although Iran has previously been linked to attacks in the Gulf, notably the 2019 drone strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities, the scale and coordination of the current wave mark a significant and dangerous escalation, raising fears of prolonged regional instability.

Kuwait confirms several US military aircraft crashed, all crew safe

Kuwait on Monday confirmed that "several" US military aircraft crashed earlier in the day, adding that all the crew members were safe.

Earlier, Iran claimed that a US F-15 fighter jet had crashed in Kuwait, with videos circulating on social media purportedly showing an American pilot ejecting seconds before the aircraft went down.

Kuwait's Ministry of Defence confirmed that several US military aircraft crashed on Monday morning and all their crew were "completely safe".

The Ministry's spokesperson stated that the relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue procedures, whereby the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health status and provide the necessary medical care, noting that their condition is stable.

"The official spokesperson added that direct coordination was conducted with the friendly US forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical measures were taken. He affirmed that the concerned authorities are following up on the investigations to determine the causes of the incident, calling for information to be obtained from its official sources," an official statement added.

Footage widely shared online appears to capture a parachute descending from the sky, while other clips carried by local media outlets show what is believed to be the US pilot on the ground after ejecting from the jet.

The authenticity of the videos has not been independently verified. However, Iranian state-affiliated media, including the Tasnim News Agency, confirmed it.

There was no immediate official statement from the United States regarding the cause of the crash or the condition of the crew.

It also remained unclear whether the aircraft was engaged in a combat operation linked to the ongoing hostilities or conducting a routine training sortie at the time of the incident.

Further clarification is awaited from both the US and Kuwaiti authorities.

The latest development comes amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East that erupted following joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, aimed at degrading Tehran's missile capabilities and broader military infrastructure.

The opening wave of the operation reportedly killed senior figures in the Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sweeping response from Tehran in the form of drone and missile attacks targeting US assets, regional capitals and allied forces across the Gulf.

Iran's retaliatory strikes have spanned several countries, with missiles and drones intercepted over Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, prompting temporary airspace closures and resulting in both military and civilian casualties.

The intensifying confrontation has seen US forces launch counter-strikes, including naval operations, marking one of the most severe and sustained face-offs between Washington and Tehran in decades.