Iran Warns UAE Airports, Gulf Ports Face Retaliation

By Al Mayadeen English

18 Jul 2026 22:07

Iran warns that key Gulf airports and ports could become targets if the US continues striking Iranian infrastructure, while threatening regional energy and water facilities.

Iran warned on Saturday that key ports and airports across the Gulf could become targets if the United States continues attacking Iranian infrastructure, according to Iranian media reports.

According to Iran's Fars News Agency, a military source said Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, as well as the ports of Fujairah and Jebel Ali, should be evacuated immediately if Washington launches further attacks on Iranian infrastructure.

The source said the warning was intended to protect civilians from what it described as Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Military source outlines plan against regional infrastructure

In a related development, the Middle East Spectator cited an Iranian military source as saying Tehran would no longer wait for the United States to intensify attacks on its critical infrastructure.

The source said Iran had begun implementing a plan that would culminate in the destruction of regional energy infrastructure if US aggression does not stop.

According to the report, the plan also includes targeting water treatment and desalination facilities, with all power generation and water desalination plants in Kuwait now included in Iran's target bank.

The source further claimed Iran is employing highly accurate medium-range ballistic missiles after weakening US air defenses with less precise missile attacks during earlier phases of the campaign. The report also alleged that most US military bases in Jordan had sustained extensive damage, with some facilities still on fire following Iranian strikes.

Iran threatens to destroy regional energy assets

A phased plan has been implemented to destroy regional energy and water-purification infrastructure in retaliation to US strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iran, an Iranian military source has announced, stating that power plants and water desalination facilities in Kuwait are now part of a target bank.

"We won't wait any longer for the enemy to increase strikes against our vital infrastructure," the source said. "We have begun to implement a phased plan, which will end with the complete destruction of all regional energy and water-purification infrastructure, if the US aggression against Iran does not immediately stop."

"As part of the first stage of this plan, all power plants and water desalination plants in Kuwait are now part of our target bank," the source added.

US strikes hit power, water infrastructure in southern Iran

This comes after the United States struck power facilities and water pumping stations in the area of Jask Port, the Hormozgan Provincial Council in Iran said, disrupting the water supply.

According to the council, US attacks over the past several hours also targeted three other bridges, including one located near the city of Minab. The council also said that the Shour River Bridge, located on the road linking Bandar Abbas and Sirjan, came under another US attack.

The council further stated that the Shahid Mirzaei Tunnel in Bandar Abbas "has been closed in both directions as a result of the attacks carried out by the enemy."

IRNA, citing the governor of southern Iran's Hormozgan Province, reported that the US attack on parts of the province's infrastructure damaged four communications network hubs.

Elsewhere, in Iran's southern Bushehr Province, an area in Dashti County came under a US attack this morning, with no casualties reported, IRNA reported, citing a security official.