Iran has recently launched missiles and drones against Israel and against U.S. forces stationed in several Middle Eastern countries, and some of those strikes have hit or targeted nearby Gulf states.

Below is a clear breakdown in the style you asked for.

Which countries did Iran attack?

Quick Scoop

In the latest round of escalation after joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran has fired missiles and drones at:

  • Israel directly.
  • U.S. bases and assets located in:
    • Qatar.
* United Arab Emirates (including Abu Dhabi and Dubai).

* Bahrain.

* Kuwait.

* Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and the eastern region).

* Iraq (including Erbil and other bases).

In parallel, analysts also point out a broader pattern over the past couple of years where Iran has:

  • Struck neighbouring states like Iraq, Syria and Pakistan with missiles, claiming to hit “terrorist” or “spy” targets.
  • Used or backed proxy groups (Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, the Houthis, Hamas) to hit Israel, U.S. positions and Gulf shipping, blurring the line between direct and indirect attacks.

In forum-style discussions and comment threads, people often phrase this as: “Iran is hitting Israel directly, but everyone else mostly gets hit because they host U.S. bases or are in the flight path.”

Main countries hit in the latest attacks

1. Israel

  • Iran launched a major barrage of missiles and drones at Israeli territory as an overt “retaliatory” strike.
  • This follows earlier named operations like “True Promise” in 2024, where Iran also openly fired hundreds of projectiles at Israel.

2. Gulf monarchies hosting U.S. forces

Iran’s leadership framed many of these strikes as hitting U.S. military assets rather than the host countries themselves, but the attacks still violated those countries’ airspace and territory.

  • United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Abu Dhabi and Dubai
    • Missiles were fired toward UAE territory, with some intercepted. At least one person was reported killed in Abu Dhabi, and blasts were heard in Dubai with a fire near the Palm Jumeirah.
  • Bahrain
    • A missile strike targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama.
  • Qatar
    • Qatar’s defence ministry said all incoming missiles were intercepted under a pre‑planned security scheme, with a radar site reportedly targeted.
  • Kuwait
    • Kuwait was listed among countries whose territory or airspace were targeted as Iran went after U.S. assets in the Gulf.
  • Saudi Arabia
    • Saudi officials reported that Iran targeted Riyadh and the eastern region; Saudi Arabia says the attacks were repelled but condemned them as unjustifiable.

3. Iraq

  • Missile and drone strikes have hit around Erbil International Airport and other locations where U.S. troops or Iran‑linked militias operate.
  • Iran has also conducted earlier named operations in Iraqi Kurdistan, claiming to hit “Israeli” or “terrorist” sites inside Iraq.

Recent neighbours Iran has struck (beyond this latest flare‑up)

Looking slightly earlier than the very latest crisis, Iran also carried out high‑profile cross‑border strikes in early 2025 and before:

  • Iraq – multiple past missile strikes on targets in Iraqi Kurdistan, including the villa of a Kurdish businessman Iran claimed was linked to foreign intelligence.
  • Syria – ballistic missile attacks on what Iran called “terrorist bases,” framed as retaliation for attacks inside Iran.
  • Pakistan – missile and drone strikes on Balochistan against the group Jaish al‑Adl, which Pakistan condemned and responded to with its own strikes.

These actions triggered strong diplomatic protests and fears that Iran was normalising cross‑border attacks as a policy tool.

Direct attacks vs. proxy attacks

Many forum and policy discussions make a distinction between:

  • Direct Iranian attacks – missiles, drones or raids launched by Iranian forces from Iranian territory or clearly under Iranian flag (like recent strikes on Israel, Gulf‑hosted U.S. bases, and earlier hits on Iraq, Syria, Pakistan).
  • Proxy attacks with Iranian backing – operations by groups such as:
    • Hezbollah (Lebanon/Syria) firing on Israel.
* Iraqi militias attacking U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria, Jordan.

* The Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping.

* Hamas’s 2023 assault on Israel, heavily supported over time by Iranian funding and training.

In public debate, you’ll often see people include both categories when they ask “which countries did Iran attack?”, because the effect on those countries is similar even if Iran sometimes denies operational control.

HTML table of key countries targeted

Below is an HTML table summarising the main countries Iran has directly attacked recently (or very openly, in the case of Israel and the Gulf/U.S. bases):

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Country</th>
      <th>How it was targeted</th>
      <th>Main stated Iranian justification</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Israel</td>
      <td>Large-scale missile and drone barrages on Israeli territory.[web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>Retaliation for Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and its leaders.[web:3][web:7]</td>
      <td>Part of a wider cycle, including earlier 2024 “True Promise” operations.[web:4]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>United Arab Emirates</td>
      <td>Missiles launched toward Abu Dhabi and Dubai; interceptions reported, with at least one fatality.[web:1]</td>
      <td>Targeting U.S. assets at bases hosted in the UAE.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Blasts and a fire were reported in Dubai, including near Palm Jumeirah.[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Bahrain</td>
      <td>Missile strike on facilities hosting the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet.[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Hitting U.S. naval infrastructure in response to U.S.–Israeli actions.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Bahrain condemned it as a blatant violation of sovereignty.[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Qatar</td>
      <td>Missiles intercepted before impact; a radar site reportedly targeted.[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Strikes on U.S. and allied assets based in Qatar.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Qatar closed its airspace temporarily and protested being drawn into the conflict.[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Kuwait</td>
      <td>Missiles or drones aimed at U.S.-linked targets on or over Kuwaiti territory.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Part of broader attacks on Gulf hosts of U.S. forces.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Region-wide alerts and airspace disruptions followed.[web:1][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Saudi Arabia</td>
      <td>Targets in Riyadh and the eastern region reportedly attacked but repelled.[web:1]</td>
      <td>Punishing states perceived as enabling U.S. and Israeli operations.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Saudi Arabia said the attacks were unjustifiable under any pretext.[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Iraq</td>
      <td>Missiles and drones against airport areas and alleged intelligence or militia sites.[web:1][web:6][web:7]</td>
      <td>Retaliation against “terrorist” or “Israeli” targets and U.S. deployments.[web:6][web:7]</td>
      <td>Iraq has repeatedly protested violations of its sovereignty.[web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Syria</td>
      <td>Ballistic missile strikes on alleged militant bases.[web:6]</td>
      <td>Response to attacks inside Iran claimed by extremist groups.[web:6]</td>
      <td>Part of a pattern of cross-border strikes justified as counterterrorism.[web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Pakistan</td>
      <td>Missiles and drones on Balochistan targeting Jaish al-Adl.[web:6]</td>
      <td>Reprisal for militant attacks on Iranian forces near the border.[web:6]</td>
      <td>Triggered Pakistani retaliation and a major diplomatic spat.[web:6]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Why this is such a big trending topic

  • The escalation now directly involves multiple countries at once , with Iran, Israel, the U.S., and several Arab Gulf states all affected on their own soil or airspace.
  • Shipping lanes, energy markets, and aviation routes around the Gulf and Red Sea are being disrupted, which is why global news and forums are full of maps, flight‑radar screenshots, and ship‑tracking discussions.
  • Commenters are split between seeing Iran as:
    • A state acting in “self‑defence” after strikes on its territory.
* Or a highly aggressive actor normalising cross‑border missile attacks and proxy warfare.

TL;DR: The core answer to “which countries did Iran attack?” in the very latest crisis is: Israel, plus U.S. bases and sites inside Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq , alongside earlier 2025 strikes on Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan and a wider web of proxy attacks linked to Iran.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.