The Netherlands summoned Iran’s ambassador on Wednesday to lodge a formal protest over the widening wave of Iranian drone and missile attacks sweeping across the Gulf region, Cyprus, and Turkey, Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen announced.
“This afternoon, I summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a formal protest against the ongoing Iranian drone and missile attacks on countries in the Gulf and the broader region, including Cyprus and Turkey,” Berendsen posted on social media platform X.
The diplomatic démarche represents the most direct European response yet to Iran’s escalating military campaign, which has now struck multiple nations since the conflict began Saturday with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities.
The Iranian embassy in The Hague did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.
The Attacks That Triggered the Summons
Iran has launched multiple waves of missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting U.S. military installations since the weekend:
· Kuwait: An 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel during an Iranian attack. Nine other people — six U.S. service personnel, two Kuwaiti army soldiers, and one other civilian — have died in Kuwait since the conflict began.
· Qatar: Explosions were reported in Doha, with Qatar’s defense ministry confirming it “successfully countered a number of attacks” targeting the country’s territory. Ten members of two cells allegedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were arrested, accused of spying on infrastructure and planning “sabotage operations”.
· UAE: Dubai International Airport was struck, injuring four people.
· Turkey: NATO air and missile defense systems intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace. Debris recovered in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province was identified as belonging to the interceptor used to neutralize the threat.
· Cyprus: A drone struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri, the British air base on the island, causing minimal damage but prompting the UK to deploy two drone-killer helicopters to the region.
· Bahrain: Salman Port was hit by an Iranian missile; Iran’s state media claimed the port was being used to transport American logistical equipment intended for strikes on Iran.
· Saudi Arabia: The Ras Tanura refinery, the kingdom’s largest oil facility, was targeted by drones, forcing a temporary halt to operations.
A Pattern of Escalation
The Netherlands’ formal protest comes as Iran’s retaliatory campaign has expanded far beyond its initial targets. What began as missile and drone launches at U.S. bases in the Gulf has now spread to civilian infrastructure, energy facilities, and NATO territory.
Iranian officials have defended the strikes as legitimate self-defense following the U.S.-Israeli attacks that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and more than 1,000 Iranians. But the widening geographic scope and civilian casualties have drawn increasing international condemnation.
The Dutch summons is unlikely to be the last. Other European nations are reportedly considering similar diplomatic actions as the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation.
What Comes Next
For the Netherlands, the formal protest is a diplomatic tool — a way to register displeasure and demand accountability without breaking ties entirely. Whether it influences Iranian behavior is another question.
The Iranian ambassador has been officially notified of Dutch concerns. The Netherlands has placed its position on the record. But as missiles continue to fall across the Gulf, words from The Hague may do little to stop them.
