The United Nations Security Council held an urgent closed-door meeting on Thursday to address Iran's escalating attacks on Gulf countries, amid rising calls for de-escalation in the ongoing regional conflict. Bahrain's U.N. Ambassador Jamal Alrowaiei, serving as the Arab representative, highlighted Gulf states' demands for Iran to immediately cease its assaults. The session underscored deepening divisions, with earlier UNSC resolutions already condemning Tehran's actions as breaches of international law.

Iran displayed no willingness to relent, launching strikes that inflicted significant damage across key energy infrastructure. Saudi Arabia reported hits on its SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, a joint venture with ExxonMobil processing over 400,000 barrels daily; the kingdom had rerouted oil westward to bypass the Iranian-threatened Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian drone also targeted the facility, complicating alternative shipping routes.​

Qatar, the world's second-largest LNG exporter accounting for nearly 20% of global shipments, suffered extensive damage to its Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility from Iranian missiles. Exports have dropped by about 17%, projecting $20 billion in annual lost revenue, with repairs potentially taking five years despite prior shutdowns from earlier attacks. The incident has ignited fires and strained global energy supplies.

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Additional targets included two oil refineries in Kuwait, where drone strikes sparked massive fires at a major facility with 730,000 barrels-per-day capacity, and gas operations in Abu Dhabi, forcing shutdowns at sites like Habshan and Bab field. These strikes represent a "dangerous escalation," according to UAE authorities, threatening Middle East energy hubs vital to world markets.​

Maritime security deteriorated further, with a vessel ablaze off the United Arab Emirates' coast and another damaged near Qatar on Thursday. These incidents highlight perils to shipping in the Gulf, exacerbating pressures on bypass efforts amid the Hormuz blockade.​

In a related development, the UAE announced on Friday the dismantling of a "terrorist network" funded by Iran's ally, Lebanon's Hezbollah, arresting operatives accused of money laundering under a fake commercial guise to undermine financial stability. State media published images of five unnamed prisoners, framing the bust as a counter to Iranian influence in the Gulf.​

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