Iranian Missile and Drone Attack Strikes UAE, One Civilian Killed
A barrage of missiles and unmanned aircraft struck the United Arab Emirates on Monday local time. The assault killed one civilian, crippled operations at the world’s busiest international airport, and sparked major fires at a critical energy facility in the nation.
Since conflict erupted in the Middle East, Iran has steadily intensified attacks on the UAE. These military operations target energy installations on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz and have begun disrupting international commercial flight routes, placing heavy economic pressure on the oil-rich state.
On the outskirts of the capital Abu Dhabi, government media reported that a Palestinian civilian was killed when a missile struck the vehicle he was driving. The UAE has now recorded a total of seven deaths since the conflict began, comprising five civilians and two military personnel.
In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, drone strikes hit oil infrastructure and ignited a major fire. Local authorities stated that “efforts continue to bring it under control” and reported no casualties from the incident.
The impact forced the state-owned oil giant ADNOC to suspend operations loading oil into storage tanks at the Fujairah facility. The Fujairah pipeline corridor is critical as it enables UAE oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently closed by Iran.
Operations at Dubai International Airport, a global aviation hub, were temporarily suspended due to a fuel tank fire triggered by a “drone-related incident”. Passengers were evacuated to lower levels for several hours before flights gradually resumed.
A witness at the airport described the distressing atmosphere to AFP. “The past few weeks have been difficult with the sound of explosions becoming routine, but this Iranian attack followed me right up to the final hours before I flew home,” the witness said.
The massive assault occurred one day after Teheran’s senior diplomat Abbas Araghchi accused US military bases in the Middle East of being used to attack Iran. However, UAE officials have firmly rejected this claim.
Records show Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones towards the UAE since the conflict began, the highest volume against any target. Although most projectiles were intercepted by air defence systems, the repeated attacks continue to destabilise the region.
Beyond the UAE, neighbouring countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain reported intercepting hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles in their airspace on the same day. Qatar emphasised that dialogue with Iran is only possible if Teheran halts its aggression in the Gulf.