Iran strikes UAE for second day in a row, says Emirati defence ministry
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Tue, 05/05/2026 - 16:23
Abu Dhabi said it was dealing with missile and drone attacks, a day after it said Tehran struck an oil refinery in Fujairah
A man walks along Dubai's Creek Harbour, with the Burj Khalifa visible in the background, 3 April 2026 (Fadel Senna/AFP)
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Iran has launched missiles into the UAE for a second day in a row, the Emirati defence ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said the country’s air defences were “currently dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran”.
It added that sounds heard across the Emirates were “the result of the UAE’s air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones”.
It called on the public to “remain calm” and follow the instructions issued by relevant authorities.
The ministry also told people not to “approach, touch, or photograph any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions, and allow relevant authorities to assess the situation”.
It came a day after the UAE accused Iran of a barrage of missile and drone attacks on its territory.
One of those attacks, Abu Dhabi said, set an oil refinery in Fujairah ablaze, wounding three Indian nationals.
The defence ministry said its air defences engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched by Iran on Monday.
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The Emirati foreign ministry condemned in the “strongest terms the renewed terrorist, unprovoked Iranian attacks, targeting civilian sites and facilities in the country”.
It said it would not tolerate threats to its sovereignty and reserves the “full and legitimate right to respond”.
While Tehran did not officially comment, a senior Iranian military source told state broadcaster Irib that Iran had no prior plans to attack the Fujairah oil site.
The source instead blamed the attacks on “US military adventurism aimed at creating a passage for the illegal transit of ships through the restricted waterways of the Strait of Hormuz”.
The UAE has imposed temporary restrictions on its airspace following missile and drone attacks on Monday.
On Tuesday, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority restricted airspace, stating that arrivals, departures and overflights would now be limited to specific routes until 11 May following the attacks.
They added they would be tightening aviation operations and warning pilots of navigation disruptions.
The attacks over the past two days mark the first strikes on Emirati territory since a fragile ceasefire came into effect on 8 April.
Between 28 February and early April, Iran responded to US-Israeli attacks by launching near daily air strikes on Gulf countries.
The UAE was hit particularly hard, with hundreds of drone and missile strikes. By late March, Iran had launched 398 ballistic missiles, 1,872 drones and 15 cruise missiles at the Emirates.
The UAE is facing its most serious economic shock in decades as a result of the war. The country’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism, real estate, logistics and finance.
More than $120bn has reportedly been wiped from market capitalisation on the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock exchanges in the last few weeks. Over 18,400 flights had also been cancelled.
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