A massive Iranian missile assault targeted Israel and American positions in the Gulf today, just hours after coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes battered Iran's military infrastructure. Explosions echoed through major cities in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, as air defenses across the region lit up the night sky intercepting incoming threats.

In a bold preemptive move dubbed Operation Epic Fury, Israel and the United States struck key Iranian targets including nuclear sites, missile factories, and command centers near Tehran. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social with a video confirming US involvement, framing the attacks as essential to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and proxy threats. Reports from Tehran describe plumes of smoke rising over the capital, with Iranian state media vowing severe retaliation.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Israeli cities and US bases in the Gulf. Sirens wailed across Israel as the Iron Dome system activated, while Qatar, UAE, and Saudi defenses downed projectiles over populated areas. Qatar confirmed interceptions near Al Udeid Air Base, home to thousands of US troops, with no immediate casualties reported. Residents in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh described deafening blasts and shaken buildings, prompting mass sheltering and flight groundings.

Gulf nations closed airspace amid the chaos, balancing outrage over the strikes with fears of entanglement. Oil markets surged over 5%, haunted by memories of past Hormuz chokepoints that spiked global energy costs. Israel reported no major breaches but maintained high alert, while Iran's leadership signaled more waves to come. As proxies in Yemen and Iraq mobilize, the world watches warily—diplomatic off-ramps appear slim under the current escalation.