Flock and awe! Missile lands in Syrian sheep field to the bemusement of locals and their animals
Striking images have captured an unexploded Iranian missile which had buried itself into the ground – right in the middle of a sheep field in Syria.
The menacing-looking projectile is one of thousands launched by Iran in recent days in retaliation for a joint US-Israel air assault against the regime that resulted in the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday morning.
Since then, Iran has responded with dozens of strikes on US assets and allies across the Gulf region, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.
But in recent hours, Iran has expanded its targets to also include UK RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus, while another missile was shot down by NATO forces after it entered Turkish airspace.
Over the border in Syria, the government has closed its airspace, but there have been reports of debris falling to the ground from Iranian missiles, mostly intended for Israel.
On Wednesday, one unexploded ordnance was spotted in an open field in Qamishi on the outskirts of eastern Syria, much to the bemusement of the sheep grazing there.
Young shepherd boys rushed over to inspect the missile, seemingly oblivious to the potential dangers posed by the explosive.
Middle of a wool zone: Shepherd boys inspected an unexploded Iranian projectile that landed in a field on the outskirts of Qamishli, eastern Syria
One youngster was seen attempting to climb into the missile head after it buried itself into the ground on the outskirts of eastern Syria
Curious youngsters were seen prodding at the missile
Baa-ter leave alone: The young shepherd boy walks away from the missile, which was embedded into the ground
Encounter of the herd kind: Farmers look on at the missile sent by the Iranian regime, which fell over Syria on Wednesday
As the military action rolls on to the sixth day, thousands of Brits living, working and travelling through the Middle East have found themselves stranded, with flights cancelled and airports closed.
In the UAE, several major tourist and expat hotspots in the country have been hit, including Fairmont The Palm hotel and the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Dubai International Airport has also been attacked, along with Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, where one person was reported killed.
British nationals have been advised by the UK Foreign Office against all non-essential travel across the Middle East region.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said repatriation flights would continue, with two chartered planes set to leave from Oman ‘in the coming days’.
Meanwhile Iran has also been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, and is believed to have launched multiple attacks.
