The United Arab Emirates came under a second consecutive day of missile and drone attacks on Tuesday, with its air defence systems intercepting incoming projectiles as the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran showed increasing signs of strain.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the renewed strikes, stating that “the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE’s air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.” It urged residents to remain in safe locations. However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) flatly denied responsibility, stating that its forces “have not carried out any missile or drone operations against the UAE in recent days,” describing the UAE’s Ministry of Defence report as “absolutely denied and devoid of any truth.”
Tuesday’s strikes appeared to target Jebel Ali port in Dubai, the largest and busiest harbour in the Middle East, based on social media reports of explosions heard in that direction. The attacks followed a more damaging barrage on Monday, when Iran launched approximately 15 missiles, most of them ballistic, at the UAE in the first such strikes since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire on April 8. All were intercepted by Emirati air defences, but a drone penetrated defences sufficiently to spark a large fire at the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone, a key energy hub that processes roughly 1.7 million barrels per day, approximately half the UAE’s oil export capacity. Three Indian nationals sustained moderate injuries in Monday’s attack.
The UAE’s foreign ministry condemned both rounds of strikes as “a dangerous escalation, an unacceptable action, and a direct threat to the country’s security and stability,” holding Iran fully responsible. India described Monday’s attacks on its nationals as “unacceptable.”
The renewed violence comes after US President Donald Trump launched Operation Project Freedom, a naval mission aimed at escorting stranded commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed to international shipping since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. US Central Command said its forces destroyed six Iranian small boats during the operation and repelled incoming Iranian missiles and drones targeting US Navy ships.
Trump reacted sharply to the latest Iranian strikes, warning of catastrophic consequences if US forces are attacked. “Iran would be blown off the face of the Earth if it attacks US vessels,” he said, while also suggesting Iran wanted to negotiate. “They play games, but they want to make a deal.”
Despite the escalating violence, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted the ceasefire framework remained technically intact. “No, the ceasefire is not over. This is a separate and distinct project,” he said, adding that the US was “not looking for a fight.” Trump himself declined to give a clear answer on whether the ceasefire still held.
Reports from Israel Hayom indicated that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was cut out of the decision to strike the UAE, suggesting a growing rift between Iran’s civilian government and the IRGC over the conduct of military operations. During the five weeks of active warfare before the April 8 ceasefire, the UAE was targeted by more than 2,800 missiles and drones, making it the most heavily attacked country in the conflict aside from Iran itself.
