On Sunday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a safety warning to civilians in Iran, accusing the Iranian regime of conducting military launches from densely populated areas and endangering civilian lives.
CENTCOM stated that the regime is using “heavily populated” cities—including Dezful, Isfahan, and Shiraz—to launch one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles. U.S. forces urged Iranian civilians to stay at home, warning that locations used for military purposes could lose their protected status under international law and become legitimate targets.
“The regime is blatantly disregarding civilian lives by attacking Gulf partners while compromising the safety of their own people,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement.
CENTCOM noted that U.S. forces take “every feasible precaution” to minimize civilian harm but cannot guarantee safety near facilities the Iranian regime uses for military purposes.
CENTCOM’s announcement indicated that Tehran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones since the [event] on Feb. 28, though launch rates have declined as U.S. and partner forces have targeted Iran’s military capabilities.
Iran has targeted civilian airports and hotels across the [region] as part of retaliatory attacks against several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defense on Sunday released footage of its air defenses intercepting and destroying Iranian drones.
The ministry reported that 17 ballistic missiles were detected, with 16 destroyed and one falling into the sea.
The UAE also detected 117 drones, intercepting 113 of them while four fell within the country’s territory.
Since the start of Iran’s attacks, the UAE says it has intercepted 221 ballistic missiles, 1,342 drones, and eight cruise missiles.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed on X that Iran has not attacked “friendly and neighboring countries,” stating its strikes have been aimed at U.S. military bases and installations in the region.