In a partial truce? Both the United States and Iran claim victory this Wednesday after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, despite these early signs of an agreement, several Middle Eastern countries report new strikes on Wednesday, pointing fingers at Iranian forces.
Three injured in the United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, operations at the Habshan Emirati gas complex were suspended after an attack in the night that injured three people. This incident was caused by the fall of debris after an interception, leading to multiple fires, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
“The air defenses are currently facing missile and drone attacks from Iran,” said the UAE Ministry of Defense in a statement.
Kuwait also impacted
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti army claims to be facing “an intense wave of hostile and criminal attacks led by Iran” since 8 am local time. It has detected 28 drones in the country.
“These attacks have caused significant damage to oil infrastructure, power plants, and desalination plants,” they added.
In response to these attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need for Iran and its allies to immediately stop all hostile actions that jeopardize stability.
In Bahrain, explosions were heard in the capital, Manama. The Civil Defense extinguished a fire in a facility resulting from the Iranian aggression. Two civilians were slightly injured and several homes damaged in the Sitra region by debris from an intercepted drone.
Iran justifies attacks in the UAE and Kuwait
Shortly after these attacks, Iranian authorities confirmed strikes in the UAE and Kuwait, stating that they were in response to targeting the Lavan Island oil facilities. The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, said that the Lavan refinery was the target of a “cowardly attack” around 6:30 GMT. The firefighters successfully extinguished the fire and secured the installation, with no reported injuries.
The Lavan refinery, located on a small island in the Gulf, processes high-quality crude oil for export. In 2020, it processed an average of 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA).
Other Iranian islands in the Gulf, like Kharg, have also been attacked during the conflict, which houses Iran’s largest oil terminal through which about 90% of its crude exports pass, according to a note from JP Morgan.
