As Missiles Fly Across Middle East, Here's Who Stands With Whom

The United States and Israel have launched a major attack on Iran after what the Israeli military called months of “close and joint planning". The Israeli strikes have targeted Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian and the head of the armed forces, according to media reports. 

Iran has also launched a retaliatory wave of strikes at targets in Israel and at US military bases across the Middle East. Per a CNN report, explosions were heard in Israel, Bahrain and places housing US military bases in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and several areas in Qatar.

Who Stands With Iran

As tensions escalate, Iran appears isolated in the region, as its primary ally, the so-called "Axis of Resistance", has received significant blows from Israel over the past few years. Tehran has long relied on a network of allied paramilitary groups across the Middle East as part of its deterrence strategy-- an approach that has largely shielded it from direct military strikes by the US or Israel, despite constant threats and pressure.

This "axis of resistance" includes groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq, and the Houthi militants in Yemen, as well as Hamas in Gaza. Iran also maintains a strong ground influence in Iraq and Yemen. Over the past week, there has also been a noticeable acceleration of military cooperation between Iran, Russia, and China. 

Russia has also condemned the US strikes, with Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president, taking a dig at US President Trump, saying, "The peacemaker once again showed his face."

"All negotiations with Iran are a cover operation. No one doubted it. No one really wanted to negotiate anything...The question is who has more patience to wait for the inglorious end of their enemy? The USA is only 249 years old. The Persian Empire was founded more than 2,500 years ago. Let's see in 100 years", he added. 

Another Asian power that has maintained close ties with Iran is Pakistan – the only Islamic country with a nuclear arsenal. However, Islamabad had made its allegiances very clear during the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025, when Pakistani leaders distanced themselves from Tehran. 

Who Stands With The US

Amid Iran's retaliation to Israel-US joint attacks, several Middle Eastern powers, including the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, have vowed to respond to Tehran for "a dangerous escalation".

The UAE said its air defences had intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles, responding with high efficiency and successfully intercepting several of them. Abu Dhabi said it "reserves its full right to respond", slamming the attacks as "a dangerous escalation".

Qatar also condemned an Iranian ballistic missile attack on its territory after several explosions were heard in Doha. In a statement, the country's Foreign Ministry said Qatar considers this a blatant violation of its national sovereignty and reserves the right to respond to the attack.

Kuwait's chief of staff said in a statement that "air defence systems engaged incoming missiles detected in the airspace."

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Iranian strikes on US military targets in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, which were in response to US-Israeli attacks launched earlier on Saturday. In a Foreign Ministry statement published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the kingdom expressed solidarity with the five countries and promised support for any measures they take in response.

The US's western allies, including Germany and France, have also condemned Iran's nuclear programme and its crackdown on recent protests, but it remains unclear whether they were given any advance warning of the attacks. 

Asked if French forces were involved in the US and Israeli strikes or targeted in retaliatory strikes, French military spokesperson Col Guillaume Vernet told media, “The French armed forces continuously adapt their posture to threats and implement measures to ensure the surveillance and protection of military installations where French soldiers are deployed.”

Italy's government also said it would contact the region's allies and leaders within the next few hours to “support any initiative that may lead to a de-escalation of tensions.”

“Italy reiterates its support for the Iranian civilian population, who courageously continue to demand respect for their civil and political rights,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said.