Kenyans in Qatar call for prayers as intercepted Iranian missiles shower debris

Intercepted Iranian missiles shower debris in Qatar / Screengrab

Kenyans have called for prayers and calm after fragments from intercepted Iranian missiles reportedly fell over parts of Qatar, heightening regional tensions and prompting diplomatic concern.

Videos circulating online show several Kenyans appealing for prayers amid the chaos.

Although most of the ballistic missiles were intercepted by Qatar’s air defence systems, debris and unburnt sections of projectiles fell from the sky, triggering explosions and small fires.

“Guys, wioye, haki mtukumbuke na maombi, si kuzuri Qatar,” one Kenyan says in a video.

“Please pray for us. We are taking shelter inside the house. But please pray for us.”

The strikes reportedly hit 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces, according to Iranian Red Crescent spokesperson Mojtaba Khaledi.

BBC Verify analysed satellite footage showing significant damage to the Leadership House compound in Tehran, where the Iranian Supreme Leader’s office was located.

Iranian state media reported early on Sunday that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed at his office.

Across Iran, 201 people have been reported dead, including at least 108 in an explosion at a girls’ school in the south of the country.

Israel has also faced waves of missile and drone attacks, with an apartment building in Tel Aviv destroyed. At least one woman has been killed in Israel, and 120 others injured, according to emergency services.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have reportedly targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, along with other US bases in the Gulf region.

Strikes have also been reported in Dubai, Doha and Kuwait. In Dubai, four people were injured following an incident at Dubai International Airport. Additional strikes at Bahrain International Airport have also been reported.

Airlines continue to cancel or divert flights across the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are among carriers that have grounded services, with flights in and out of Dubai International and Al Maktoum International Airport suspended.

The UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Those already there have been urged to shelter.

Airspace over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria and the UAE remains closed, while parts of Saudi Arabia face partial closures. Long-haul travel has been widely disrupted.

For many Kenyans in the Gulf, uncertainty remains — and their message is simple: pray for peace