On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it fired 230 Iranian drones at multiple facilities hosting US troops in the Middle East.
The IRGC claimed the attacks were among its “first powerful steps” in retaliation despite having attacked Gulf Arab states since the US-Israeli joint strike on Saturday.
Iranian Drones Strike
On Wednesday, Kuwait’s Ministry of Health said an 11-year-old girl was killed after she was hit by falling shrapnel. “Resuscitation was performed in the ambulance while the girl was being transported to the hospital, and attempts continued for nearly half an hour upon arrival at Al-Amiri Hospital. However, she passed away due to her injuries,” the ministry posted on X.
Al Jazeera Arabic reported that a drone attack targeted a logistical support facility at the US embassy in Baghdad, near the international airport. It was followed by a similar foiled drone attack on Tuesday, according to Iraq’s security media cell.
Two drones targeted a US military base and a hotel in Erbil in Northern Iraq.
In the Iraqi Kurdish region, a building in Sulaimaniyah was struck by a drone Tuesday evening.
Saudi Arabia‘s defence ministry intercepted a drone in the Eastern Province. Details of the event were not provided.
A projectile struck Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, according to sources cited by Reuters. Ras Tanura is the largest domestic oil refinery operated by Saudi Aramco. The falling debris was caused by the interception of two Iranian drones and sparked a fire, necessitating the shutdown of operations.
Iranian drones also targeted the United Arab Emirates at the US consulate in Dubai and a port in Fujairah. The UAE’s Defence Ministry said it downed three ballistic missiles and 121 drones, while eight drones landed inside the country.
In France, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said its Rafale jets neutralized Iranian drones targeting the UAE, where hundreds of French navy, air force, and army personnel are based.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry intercepted 10 drones and two cruise missiles from Iran.
US Response
A closed-door briefing was held on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to discuss the challenge presented in combating the Shahed attack drones, as US air defenses will not be able to intercept them all, according to a source in the briefing who spoke with CNN.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine acknowledged that the drones are a bigger problem than anticipated. Shahed drones fly low and slow, which makes them more capable of evading air defenses than ballistic missiles.
Another source for CNN familiar with the briefing said officials attempted to downplay their concerns about the drones and noted Gulf state partners were stockpiling interceptors.
What Is Next?
On Tuesday, Trump said most of Iran’s military installations have been “knocked out,” and new strikes would target Iranian leadership.
Officials were dismissive in answering questions concerning the prevention of Iran becoming a failed state, as they said regime change was an ancillary goal. The officials reiterated Trump’s goals to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, its navy, end its nuclear weapon ambitions, and stop the country from arming militant groups instead of answering the question.
It was not indicated who they believed the next supreme leader should or would be, according to a source familiar with the briefing. The former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the US-Israeli joint strikes on Saturday, along with many potential successors.
Sources:
The New York Times: What to Know About Iran’s Drones, Which Are Cheap to Launch but Expensive to Intercept – The New York Times
CNN: US air defenses may not be able to intercept many of Iran’s one-way drones
Al Jazeera: Hundreds of drones target Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE amid Iran war
Featured Image Courtesy of NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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