Iran warns civilians to evacuate parts of Dubai, Doha ahead of possible strikes

The Iranian army warned residents of some areas in Dubai and Doha to evacuate ahead of possible attacks in coming hours over US military presence in their areas, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The Iranian Armed Forces said in a statement that certain areas in the two cities could be targeted in the coming hours, claiming that elements of the US "terrorist army" were located in those areas.

Evacuation maps

The Iranian statement urged residents and people present in the two cities to evacuate as soon as possible. The warning was accompanied by a map identifying areas in the Qatari capital requested for evacuation, including Lusail, Al Waab, and Ain Khaled. The specific targeting of these areas suggests Iran has identified what it believes to be US military assets or personnel in these locations.

Conflict context

The warning comes as the US and Israel have continued a joint attack on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolgirls. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting "US military assets."

Regional escalation

The evacuation warning marks a significant escalation in Iran's campaign against Gulf states hosting US military infrastructure. Qatar hosts the massive Al Udeid Air Base, home to US Central Command's forward headquarters, while the UAE hosts various US military facilities and has been repeatedly targeted in previous Iranian attacks. The warning to civilians indicates potential broadening of Iran's targeting criteria.