UAE intercepts Iranian missiles as Gulf tensions flare again

The United Arab Emirates moved to contain a fresh round of attacks on Monday, intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran in what appears to be the most serious escalation since the April ceasefire.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said it was tracking and intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones across the country. By the end of the operation, three missiles had been intercepted, while a fourth fell into the sea.

The strikes landed against a fragile backdrop. Efforts to extend the ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran have stalled, and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have been steadily rising. The latest exchange suggests how quickly the situation can slip back into active confrontation.

Despite the attacks, messaging from Tehran remained measured. A senior Iranian military official said on state TV that “Iran had no plans to target the UAE”.

On the ground, the impact was limited but visible. In Fujairah, an Iranian drone triggered a fire at an oil facility, prompting an immediate response from civil defence teams. Authorities said three Indian citizens were moderately injured and taken to hospital.

The incident breaks a stretch of relative calm that had held since April 8, when a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire paused more than two months of fighting across the Gulf. During that earlier phase of the conflict, the UAE had already been one of the most heavily targeted states, intercepting large volumes of Iranian missiles and drones.

Monday’s developments unfolded alongside a broader shift in the regional dynamic. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump announced that the US would begin guiding commercial vessels out of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, framing the move as humanitarian support for stranded crews.

Iranian media reported that its navy responded by firing “warning shots” at US warships near the strait, underlining how quickly the situation is becoming more crowded and potentially volatile at sea.

The UAE also condemned a separate Iranian drone strike targeting the oil tanker Barakah off Oman’s coast. According to ADNOC, no one was injured and the vessel was not carrying cargo at the time.

Diplomatic efforts remain stuck. Talks between Washington and Tehran, launched shortly after the ceasefire with a meeting in Islamabad on April 11, have yet to produce a framework for a lasting agreement. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains the central point of contention.