Iran Has Deliberately Struck Dozens Critical Infrastructure Sites Across The Gulf Since The U.S. War Began: Report

Iran and Iranian-backed armed groups have carried out at least 135 missile and drone strikes on 84 critical infrastructure sites across the Gulf since the war began in February, damaging oil facilities, airports, pipelines and power stations in attacks that have disrupted major industries and energy exports.

The strikes have affected infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, with some facilities repeatedly targeted and others facing lengthy shutdowns.

A Reuters investigation published Thursday identified the strikes through satellite imagery, photographs, videos, government statements and interviews with 36 people familiar with the attacks.

The investigation found that several attacks struck equipment essential to the operation of major industrial facilities, including oil-routing systems, gas-processing machinery and electrical infrastructure.

In at least 34 official statements following attacks, Gulf governments said damage had resulted from falling debris after drones or missiles were intercepted.

However, experts who reviewed the satellite imagery and other evidence gathered by the news agency questioned whether falling debris could account for the repeated damage to specific pieces of equipment.

One of the most heavily targeted locations was the UAE's Fujairah oil port, a major export terminal outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian drones and missiles struck Fujairah at least 19 times between February and May, damaging fuel tanks and equipment used to transfer oil between storage terminals and ships.

A March 9 attack damaged a network of pipelines known as a matrix manifold, which directs crude oil and refined petroleum products through the port. Subsequent strikes damaged additional oil-routing infrastructure.

The investigation found that another attack on May 4 substantially disrupted exports of refined petroleum products. Only one vessel carrying such products departed between that attack and June 1, according to shipping data from Kpler examined by Reuters.

Fujairah is an important alternative route for exporting oil without passing through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has restricted shipping during the conflict.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration identifies the strait as one of the world's most important oil transit routes. During the first half of 2025, approximately 20.9 million barrels of oil and petroleum products passed through it daily, equivalent to about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.

Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, which carries crude oil to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was also attacked.

On September 10, an aerial assault damaged three pumping stations along the pipeline, destroying one and suspending crude flows for 11 days.

The pipeline provides Saudi Arabia with an alternative export route that avoids the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks extended to Qatar's Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility, where strikes destroyed two units containing equipment used to cool natural gas into liquid form.

QatarEnergy chief executive Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters in March that repairing the damaged equipment could take three to five years.

Other infrastructure suffered similar disruptions. In the UAE, an Iranian attack on March 28 forced Emirates Global Aluminium to suspend operations at its Al Taweelah industrial complex, including its aluminum smelter and alumina refinery.

The company said the site sustained extensive damage and required major repairs before production could resume.

By August 26, only 315 of the smelter's 1,262 reduction cells had restarted, representing approximately 25% of the total, according to an Emirates Global Aluminium announcement.

The company previously estimated that restoring production would require approximately $400 million in capital expenditure, with spending extending into 2027.

Iranian-linked attacks also affected civilian airports, including facilities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.

Kuwait International Airport was struck eight times, while attacks on the country's energy infrastructure damaged refineries and facilities responsible for generating electricity and producing drinking water.

The news agency also identified strikes on at least four of Kuwait's eight combined power and desalination plants between March and July.

The investigation also identified damage to facilities used by major international businesses, including Amazon data centers and energy operations involving Western oil companies.