UAE accuses Iran of attacking Fujairah port, three Indians wounded
Theo Al Jazeera
The UAE accused Iran of launching a barrage of missiles and drones at the strategic Fujairah port, setting an oil refinery on fire and wounding three Indian nationals. If confirmed, it is the first direct Iranian attack on the UAE since the US-Iran ceasefire began in April.
The United Arab Emirates on May 5 accused Iran of launching 'a volley' of missiles and drones at the port of the eastern emirate of Fujairah, wounding three Indian nationals and setting an oil refinery ablaze in the Fujairah Oil and Gas Industrial Zone.
The UAE Defense Ministry said its air defenses 'intercepted' 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and four drones launched from Iran throughout Monday. If confirmed, this would be the first direct Iranian attack on the UAE since the US-Iran ceasefire came into effect on April 8.
Iran's state television reported that its military officials blamed 'American military adventurism' for the attacks.
Strategic location of Fujairah port
Fujairah is one of seven emirates in the UAE, home to a deep-water multipurpose port on the Gulf of Oman. The port lies about 70 nautical miles (roughly 130 km) east of the Strait of Hormuz and about 130 km east of Dubai.
This is not the first time Fujairah has been targeted. On April 6, the emirate's government said it was handling an 'incident' when a drone approaching from Iran headed toward the building of telecom company du. It did not specify whether the drone struck, nor did it report casualties.
Importance of Fujairah port
Fujairah port is the terminus of the Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline, also known as the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP). The 380-kilometer pipeline runs from Habshan, an oil and gas field southwest of Abu Dhabi, to Fujairah port and can transport approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil per day.
This makes the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline one of the key routes in the Middle East, especially as producers seek to offset disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced that US forces would begin escorting stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, directly challenging Iran's blockade of the strategic waterway — which in peacetime carries 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Iran's threats to attack ships have kept the strait virtually closed since US-Israeli strikes began on February 28.
The closure of the critical maritime corridor has sent oil and fertilizer prices soaring worldwide, raising fears of a global recession and food crisis.
According to Kpler analyst Johannes Rauball, oil exports from Fujairah appeared to have risen over the past month since the strait closed, averaging 1.62 million barrels per day in March compared with 1.17 million barrels per day in February.
Fujairah port also serves as a global bunkering hub and provides general cargo, dry bulk, and container services.
Reaction to the attack
After a day of drone and missile attacks across the UAE — including one that sparked a blaze at an oil refinery in Fujairah — the UAE declared that Iran's attacks marked a serious escalation in the Arabian Gulf, and it reserved the right to respond.
India's External Affairs Ministry, in a post on X on Tuesday, called the attack 'unacceptable.' 'We call for an immediate end to these hostile actions and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,' the ministry said.
On the same day, Iranian authorities published an expanded map of the maritime zone they claim to control, extending beyond the Strait of Hormuz to include long stretches of the UAE coastline, raising fears of wider regional conflict.
