Foreign workers are disproportionately paying the ultimate price in Iran’s strikes on the Gulf.
At least nine civilians have been killed so far across the region — one each in Bahrain, Kuwait, and off the coast of Oman; two in Saudi Arabia; and four in the UAE — and only one was a Gulf citizen. Among the dead was an 11-year-old Iranian girl in Kuwait, killed by falling shrapnel from her own country. Soldiers have also died in Kuwait and the UAE.
The pattern reflects the Gulf’s demographics. Foreigners make up around half the region’s population, and account for the vast majority of residents in Qatar and the UAE. Low-wage workers who live in crowded housing and hold jobs that can’t be done remotely — such as delivery, retail, and sanitation — are the most exposed, compared to richer expats who can shelter or leave.
