Iran Launches Drones and Missiles Across Gulf After U.S. Vows Intensified Strikes

After the United States publicly vowed intensified air strikes, heavy blasts shook Tehran late Friday and Iran responded by launching drone and missile attacks across the Gulf and against neighbouring states.

“A French soldier has been killed, and several others wounded in a drone attack in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, marking France’s first military fatality since the start of the current war in the Middle East”

AeroTime

HomeTown Register reports "Heavy blasts shook Tehran late Friday, hours after the United States vowed intensified air strikes against Iran and reportedly sent Marines and more ships to the Middle East," and that "the Islamic republic has doubled down on defiance, launching drone and missile attacks on neighbours and keeping a stranglehold on the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz."

AeroTime

Euronews framed the episode as part of a widening war, noting "A French soldier was killed in Erbil, and four US crewmembers died in a refuelling aeroplane crash in Iraq as Iran's drones hit Gulf states and US-Israeli strikes target Tehran."

Le Monde also tied the strikes into the broader US-Israeli campaign that began at the end of February, describing the operation and its regional effects.

The attacks spread widely across the Gulf, striking or threatening key states and commercial hubs: Saudi Arabia reported multiple interceptions, Oman recorded on-land casualties, and Dubai reported damage after intercepting incoming drones.

Euronews said "Saudi Arabia said its defence forces have intercepted more than two dozen drones over its Eastern and Central Provinces," and that "Oman said that a drone crash in the region of Sohar killed two foreigners."

Courrier International

The outlet also reported that "a building at the Dubai International Financial Centre sustained damage on Friday after what authorities described as a 'successful interception' of an incoming Iranian drone," while HomeTown Register noted Iran "kept up launches of drones and missiles against neighbouring states hosting US military assets."

The tit-for-tat fighting has involved large-scale strikes and significant force deployments: US and Israeli strikes on Iran were reported in the thousands, and Washington appeared to be sending additional naval and Marine assets to the region even as aircraft losses mounted.

“A French soldier was killed in Erbil, and four US crewmembers died in a refuelling aeroplane crash in Iraq as Iran's drones hit Gulf states and US-Israeli strikes target Tehran”

Euronews

HomeTown Register said "the US and Israel have struck more than 15,000 targets in Iran over the past two weeks" and quoted Israel's military saying it "conducted 7,600 strikes on the country, most of them against its missile programme."

The outlet also reported that "the Wall Street Journal reporting that it was sending an amphibious assault ship and Marines to the region" and that "CNN reported that the Marines were an Expeditionary Unit."

Euronews added that "the KC-135 aircraft is part of the operations against Iran, but the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire," after reporting multiple crewmembers' deaths in a refuelling-aircraft crash.

France suffered one of the more conspicuous coalition casualties: a French chief warrant officer was killed in a drone strike near Erbil, prompting Paris to condemn the attacks and to reinforce deployments.

Le Monde reported that "a French soldier was killed on Thursday, March 12, in a drone strike in the Erbil region of Iraqi Kurdistan" and named him, saying the soldier "belonged to the 7th Mountain Infantry Battalion... Arnaud Frion, chief warrant officer."

La Dépêche

Radio France detailed the local incident, quoting that "the governor of the Erbil region mentioned a strike involving two drones targeting the Malakara base" and that "the attack also left at least five wounded among the French forces present," adding that "Adjudant-chef Frion was assigned to... Malakara."

TF1 INFO and AeroTime outlined France's role and posture, noting long-term deployments "around 600 French troops" as part of Operation Chammal and that "France is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its carrier strike group" to provide defensive support to allies.

The war's humanitarian and economic fallout was stark: markets spiked, millions were displaced, and casualties mounted across multiple countries.

“Death of a French soldier in Iraq: we explain the circumstances of an attack by a pro-Iranian group targeting France A French serviceman was killed during a drone attack in Iraqi Kurdistan, near Erbil, where a pro-Iranian group, Ashab al-Kahf, announced it would target 'French interests in Iraq and in the region”

La Dépêche

HomeTown Register said Iran's Revolutionary Guards "have all but closed the Gulf's strategic Strait of Hormuz" and that market data showed "the Brent contract price for a barrel of crude has soared more than 42 percent since the war broke out," with "oil stayed at over $100 a barrel."

Le Monde.fr

The same source quoted Iran's health ministry saying "more than 1,200 people have been killed," and cited the UN refugee agency estimating "up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the war started."

HomeTown also reported regional tolls, noting that "authorities reporting at least 773 people killed by Israeli attacks" in Lebanon. Euronews and AeroTime highlighted the wider civilian and infrastructural impacts across Gulf cities and coalition facilities.