UAE Hit by Second Consecutive Day of Iranian Attacks
Al Jazeera Staff
Iran launched missile and drone strikes on the UAE for a second consecutive day amid soaring U.S.-Iran tensions. The strikes follow a 15-missile attack Monday that wounded three people and hit a key oil terminal in Fujairah, escalating fears of renewed conflict.
The UAE Defense Ministry confirmed that the country came under missile and drone attack from Iran for the second consecutive day. The outcome of the latest assault was not immediately clear.
Tuesday's strike came a day after at least three people were wounded in earlier attacks, and one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility in the eastern emirate of Fujairah.
The escalation comes amid fears of renewed war between Iran and the U.S., after Washington launched a new initiative called “Project Freedom” to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday. Roughly one-fifth of global energy exports pass through this narrow waterway.
In retaliation for joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Iranian forces have effectively seized control of the strait by attacking—or threatening—vessels attempting to pass without Tehran's permission. This move has triggered a global energy shock, pushing oil and gas prices to multi-year highs.
In response, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and maritime shipping on April 13, curtailing Tehran's ability to export oil, import essential goods, and maintain foreign exchange flows.
On Monday, just hours after Washington's campaign began, Iranian forces claimed to have fired on a U.S. warship. U.S. Central Command denied that any vessel was hit but confirmed that Iran launched cruise missiles targeting U.S. naval assets and American-flagged commercial ships. U.S. forces said they destroyed six Iranian small boats, along with incoming missiles and drones.
In Monday's attack, Tehran fired a volley of 15 missiles—most of them ballistic—toward the UAE, the first such incident since a U.S.-Iran ceasefire took effect about four weeks earlier. The UAE government said all were intercepted, but a fire broke out at Fujairah, home to a critical oil terminal.
That facility plays a wartime role, handling about 1.7 million barrels per day—half the country's export capacity—since it allows shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz via the Gulf of Oman. Three Indian nationals were wounded in the incident, which the Indian government described as “unacceptable.”
Despite the exchanges, Washington argues that Iran has not violated the ceasefire. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation to protect commercial shipping was temporary and that U.S. forces neither entered Iranian territorial waters nor its airspace. “We are not looking for a war,” he said, in a tone some observers described as less bellicose than usual.
Over five weeks of war before a fragile ceasefire was reached on April 8, the UAE was targeted by at least 2,800 missiles and drones—more than any other Gulf state or Israel.
