Iran warns Gulf hotels hosting US troops may become military targets, citing civilian risk and ongoing Middle East strikes, escalating tensions in a high-stakes regional standoff, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Iran has issued a stark warning to hotel owners in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, claiming that any property hosting US military personnel could be considered a legitimate military target, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
The statement comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following weeks of conflict involving Iran, the United States, and allied forces. Fars reported that US personnel have increasingly used regional hotels as temporary bases after Iranian missile attacks and joint operations by Tehran-aligned militant groups targeted American military infrastructure across the region.
According to Xinhua, the Iranian warning applies immediately to any facility accommodating foreign military staff, emphasizing that continued activity of this kind could put civilian properties at risk. The report cited multiple instances of US forces operating from civilian locations, including a logistics base near Beirut’s old airport and advisory offices at the Republic Palace in Damascus, as well as hotels such as the Four Seasons and Sheraton. Recent movements of US Marines to Djibouti International Airport, via Istanbul and Sofia, were also noted as part of ongoing strategic redeployments.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, reiterated the warning on Thursday, urging Gulf hotel operators not to accept US military personnel. He accused American soldiers of abandoning their bases in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and using civilian sites as cover, putting local citizens at risk.
“From the outset of this war, US soldiers fled military bases in the GCC to hide in hotels and offices. They use GCC citizens as human shields,” Araghchi wrote on X, Iran’s version of Twitter. He drew a parallel with hotels in the United States, claiming they deny bookings to personnel who might endanger other guests, and urged similar practices in Gulf states.
