In the past week, residents across the Gulf have watched missiles and drones streak across the night sky—sometimes followed seconds later by bright flashes as air defense systems intercepted them. In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, hacking videos have quickly gone viral on social media, turning seemingly invisible security architectures into something suddenly visible.
Authorities have urged people not to act out or share online images of raids or military operations, warning that the videos may reveal sensitive information about defense activities.
Iran has fired waves of missiles and drones at several Gulf countries in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. These attacks have prompted an air defense response across the region.
Governments from the United Arab Emirates to Kuwait and Bahrain have reported detecting or intercepting hundreds of missiles and drones in recent days targeting them. sky, military equipment, and infrastructure.
This is how each country has responded.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates operates an air defense network designed to intercept threats at different stages of flight. At the highest altitude is the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, developed by Lockheed Martin, designed to intercept long-range missiles during the final phase of their descent using “hit-kill” method—destroying the target through a direct impact instead of an explosive warhead.
Closer to the ground, Patriot missile defense batteries developed by Raytheon provide another layer capable of intercepting missiles and other air threats at low altitudes. Radar networks detect launches hundreds of kilometers away, allowing operators to calculate routes and launch receivers within minutes.
As written, the UAE Ministry of Defense he said that 196 ballistic missiles have been detected heading for the country since the invasion began on February 28. Of these, 181 were destroyed by air defense systems, 13 fell into the sea, and two missiles landed inside the UAE territory. The attacks resulted in three deaths and 78 injuries, most of them caused by falling debris rather than the direct impact of the missiles.
Attacks have also affected digital infrastructure. Amazon Web Services in the UAE and Bahrain were hit directly, causing structural damage and power outages.
High levels of hacking highlight the effectiveness of the region’s defense architecture—but also reveal the stress placed on these systems when attacks occur in repeated waves.
“I would assess the Gulf’s missile defense performance as a technical capability but with a strategic emphasis,” says Andreas Krieg, associate professor in the Department of Defense Studies at King’s College London.
“The real story of this increase is not whether the Gulf can be intercepted,” he says. “It’s like it can continue the invasion at the tempo that these attacks are causing.”
Missile defense, Krieg notes, is increasingly a competition not just of technology but of endurance. Interceptors can cost millions of dollars each, while most attack drones cost a fraction of that.
In protracted conflicts, maintaining a reserve of links and coordinating defenses at multiple sites becomes a major strategic challenge. “Once you get into frequent strikes, combination salvos, and long-term drone pressure, the limitation becomes magazine depth, supply speed, and the economics of using expensive interceptors against cheap, persistent threats,” he says.
The UAE has spent more than a decade building its missile defense architecture, investing heavily in systems such as THAAD and Patriot and integrating them with regional radars and early warning networks.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia runs one of the massive air defense networks in the Middle East, built on years of defense against missile and drone attacks targeting its cities and energy infrastructure.
The kingdom is very dependent Patriot missile defense system, supported by radar networks and additional air defense assets designed to intercept ballistic missile and aerial threats approaching major population centers and oil facilities. It also works for PAC-3 MSE interceptorthe most advanced Patriot missile developed by Lockheed Martin, designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles through direct impact.
