Fujairah Oil Refinery Attacked by Drones, UAE Closes Airport
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stated that its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles and drones on the night of 4 May 2026. This followed an unmanned aerial vehicle attack that triggered a fire in the strategic oil industrial zone of Fujairah.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a serious escalation threatening national security.
“This attack marks a direct threat to the security of the state, and the UAE has the full right to respond,” read the official government statement, as quoted by Reuters on Tuesday (5/5/2026).
The drone attack had an immediate impact on aviation operations. According to Flightradar24 data, several flights bound for the UAE were diverted to Muscat, Oman, while others had to circle over Saudi Arabia. Authorities also temporarily closed all airports as a security measure.
A flight captain en route to Dubai told passengers that the airport closure was temporary. “All airports in the UAE are temporarily closed, and flights are being diverted to Oman’s capital,” he said.
At the scene, civil defence teams were deployed to extinguish the fire in the Fujairah oil industrial area. The Fujairah Media Office reported that three Indian nationals sustained moderate injuries from the attack and have received hospital treatment.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media quoted a senior military official denying that their country targeted the UAE. This statement came after the UAE Ministry of Defence previously claimed to have intercepted several missiles originating from Iran.
The attack ends a period of relative calm since the Washington-Tehran ceasefire, mediated by Pakistan, took effect on 8 April, following more than a month of conflict in the Gulf region.
Fujairah itself is a vital point in the UAE’s oil export chain. The area serves as the terminus of the Abu Dhabi crude oil pipeline, enabling direct energy distribution to the Gulf of Oman without passing through the conflict-prone Strait of Hormuz.
This is not the first time the area has been targeted. On 14 March, a drone attack also struck Fujairah Port, causing a fire and halting some oil export activities.