How Each Gulf Country Is Intercepting Iranian Missiles and Drones

As missiles and drones cross the region’s skies, the Gulf’s layered air-defense networks—from THAAD to Patriot batteries—are being tested in real time.

Over the past week, residents across the Gulf have watched missiles and drones cross the night sky—sometimes followed seconds later by bright flashes as air-defense systems intercept them. In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, videos of interceptions have spread quickly across social media, turning what is normally a largely unseen security architecture into something suddenly visible.