Middle East
Smoke rises from the direction of an energy installation in the emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on March 14, 2026, during the six-week Iran war. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least four cruise missiles launched from Iran and multiple drone attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were intercepted by Emirati defenses on Monday, the country's defense ministry said. This comes hours after Abu Dhabi condemned an Iranian drone strike on a national oil tanker transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Four cruise missiles launched from Iran were detected heading toward various areas of the country,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that “three were successfully intercepted over territorial waters, while one fell into the sea.”
The statement further noted that “the sounds heard in different parts of the country were the result of air defence systems engaging the threats,” and urged “the public to rely on official sources and follow all public safety procedures when warning messages are issued.”
The statement came as residents across the UAE received at least three “potential missile threat” warnings from the interior ministry within a three-hour span as of 5:00 pm, Rudaw has learned.
Residents were instructed to “immediately seek a safe place in the closest secure building,” avoid windows, doors, and open areas, and “await further instructions,” citing the “current situation in the region” and “potential missile threats.”
Meanwhile, the government of the Emirate of Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the UAE along the Gulf of Oman, said that “three individuals of Indian nationality sustained moderate injuries” in what it described as “Iranian aggression” targeting the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ), and that the individuals were transported to receive the necessary medical treatment.
The FOIZ is a key export gateway on the Indian Ocean that allows the UAE to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. It includes large storage facilities and the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline and handles a significant share of the UAE’s crude exports and provides refueling and refining services.
Earlier in the day, authorities in Fujairah reported “a breakout of a developing fire” in the FOIZ, after it was "targeted by a drone launched from Iran.” Civil Defense teams in the emirate “immediately began addressing the incident and are continuing their efforts to bring it under control,” the authorities said.
Meanwhile, Muscat’s state-run Omani News Agency (OMNA) reported that “a residential building for company employees in the Tibat area” was also targeted, resulting “in moderate injuries to two expatriates, damage to four vehicles, and broken windows in a nearby house.”
Tibat is located in the Musandam governorate in northeastern Oman, near the border with the UAE via the northern Ras al-Khaimah emirate.
“The relevant authorities are investigating the incident and have confirmed their commitment to taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of citizens and residents,” OMNA added.
The escalation comes as the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Monday that the UAE “strongly condemned and denounced the Iranian terrorist attack involving two drones” targeting a vessel affiliated with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as it transited the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported.
Founded in 1971, ADNOC is the state-owned energy company of Abu Dhabi and one of the world’s largest oil producers, ranking 12th globally by output.
The Emirati foreign ministry slammed the attack as a “flagrant violation” of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, “which affirms the importance of freedom of navigation and prohibits the targeting of commercial vessels or obstruction of international maritime routes,” WAM said.
RELATED: UAE issues ‘missile’ threat warning following drone attack on Emirati tanker in Hormuz
Last updated at 7:55 pm.
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