Gulf countries scramble to intercept missiles hours into U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement

Many Middle Eastern countries reported incoming missiles and drones from Iran on Wednesday, triggering air defenses across the Gulf within hours of a newly announced two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The U.S. and Iran agreed to the temporary truce just before U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline to launch massive attacks if no deal was reached. The ceasefire, if it holds, would open a two-week negotiating window with U.S. and Iranian delegations expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday.
The ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, was contingent on the "complete, immediate, and safe opening" of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said.
Iranian officials said in a statement on Wednesday that "if attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations."
Tehran added that safe passage through the strait would be possible through coordination with its armed forces and with "due consideration of technical limitations" — caveats that may give Iran some room to define compliance on its own terms.
Despite the reprieve, missiles were still launched from Iran towards Israel and several Gulf states.
The Israeli military said it had identified ballistic missile attacks from Iran early Wednesday, with early warnings issued in central and northern parts of the country.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defense systems were intercepting missiles and drones and urged the public to remain in safe places. "The sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones," the ministry said.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense organization also issued early warnings of "potential danger" across the country, including Riyadh. Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar also issued alerts or activated defenses as threats emerged across the region.
Ceasefire kicks in
The continued attacks raised questions about whether the ceasefire agreement can hold, particularly if negotiations stall or collapse during the two-week period.
The U.S.and Israel have launched more than 3,000 strikes on Iran since the conflict erupted on Feb. 28, and Iran has retaliated with a total of 1,511 strikes against targets in Israel and the neighboring Gulf countries, according to ACLED, a crisis monitoring organization.
Weapon stockpiles across the region are reportedly under strain as some Gulf states have used a significant portion of their interceptor inventories. By late March, the UAE and Kuwait had spent roughly 75% of their Patriot missile interceptor stocks, while Bahrain was estimated to have depleted as much as 87%, according to the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, on Tuesday warned Gulf states to "pay attention to their conditions and relations with Iran." He warned that "sooner or later America will leave this region by accepting defeat, and you will stay."
Tehran has intensified its attacks against several Middle Eastern countries since the war started, using them as leverage over Gulf countries and the U.S.
While Gulf air defenses have been largely effective against ballistic missiles, they have struggled to repel Iranian drones, which are cheaper to produce and usually launched in swarms, overwhelming interceptors.
Recent strikes have inflicted significant damage on energy infrastructure in the region, with a recent attack wiping out 17% of output at Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG plants, damage that would take years to recover.
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash has reportedly said earlier this week that the war must end with a long-term solution for Gulf security, and warned against any ceasefire that fails to accomplish that. "We don't want animosity with Iran, but with this regime, there is no trust."