A child was injured by falling shrapnel in Qatar early on Friday after Iranian missile and drone attacks targeted several Gulf states, triggering air defence interceptions across the region. Qatar’s interior ministry confirmed the injury and said the child was receiving medical treatment. The attacks, which also prompted security alerts in Bahrain and Kuwait, came hours after the United States military announced it had completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran.

Iran’s military stated it had launched drone strikes against US radar and air defence assets in Bahrain and Kuwait, describing the operation as retaliation for American attacks. Kuwait’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted 32 drones aimed at vital installations, with falling debris causing material damage but no casualties. Bahrain activated warning sirens twice overnight and urged residents to move to safe locations. Gulf security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the scale of the assault as the most significant cross-border barrage since the current cycle of hostilities began.

The exchanges mark a collapse of the Pakistan-mediated framework agreement signed on 12 June, which had aimed to de-escalate and pave the way for a lasting peace. Tensions reignited in recent days over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint through which a fifth of global oil supplies transit. According to Western military sources, the US strikes targeted Iranian positions linked to threats against shipping, while Tehran accused Washington of using the waterway dispute as a pretext for aggression. The child’s injury in Qatar, which hosts the largest US airbase in the region, underscores the civilian risks as hostilities spill into populated areas.

Viewed from Washington, the sustained bombing campaign reflects an effort to degrade Iranian military capabilities and signal resolve to Gulf partners. From Tehran, the decision to strike US-allied states rather than American assets directly is interpreted by regional analysts as a calibrated move to raise the cost of hosting US forces without triggering an all-out war. Gulf governments have placed security forces on high alert and urged citizens to rely solely on official channels, warning that spreading unverified information could lead to legal consequences. With no diplomatic track currently active, the region braces for further exchanges, and the United Nations Security Council is expected to discuss the crisis in the coming days.