The situation in the Persian Gulf has reached a critical point in recent hours. The military conflict between the US and Iran has spilled over into the territory of regional allies.
Iranian strikes and fires in Kuwait
In yet another massive attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against American assets, key energy and civilian facilities in Kuwait were hit, reports The National (thenationalnews.com). According to Kuwaiti authorities, the Iranian strike caused severe fires in two regions of the country. A strategic power plant and a water desalination plant were hit, as well as a large oil complex of the „Kuwait Petroleum Corporation“.
The Kuwaiti fire department confirmed that several firefighters and military personnel were injured while trying to control the fire at both locations. Kuwait International Airport was temporarily closed to flights, reports the Bulgarian agency BTA (bta.bg). Kuwait's army announced that it had managed to intercept dozens of drones, but debris and direct hits caused significant material damage.
UAE expands investigation into Reuters
Against this backdrop, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken unprecedented legal measures on the information front. The country's public prosecutor has officially expanded its investigation into the global news agency Reuters for spreading a false report, reports Xinhua (bignewsnetwork.com).
The agency's report in question claimed that loud explosions had been heard in Downtown Dubai, causing panic in international markets. Dubai's media office immediately denied the report and confirmed that security in the commercial hub was fully guaranteed, reports Reuters (reuters.com) in its official follow-up statement, in which it expressed regret for the error and withdrew the original news.
However, the authorities in the Emirates are adamant that they will apply federal laws against foreign media institutions that publish unverified and disinformation information to the detriment of national security, adds Khaleej Times (khaleejtimes.com).