Gulf countries raised their alert level in the face of reports of attacks and incidents involving the United Arab Emirates, while Abu Dhabi said it had “full right to respond” to what it classified as Iranian aggression, amid escalating tensions in the region.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned “dangerous attacks” with missiles and drones against civilian targets and said it “will not tolerate any aggression to its security and sovereignty”, reserving the right to react “fully and legally”, in accordance with international law. The government also classified the actions as a “serious and unacceptable escalation” and attributed responsibility for the episodes to Iran. Despite the accusations, a senior Iranian military official told state media that Tehran has “no plans to target the Emirates.”
According to the state agency WAMUAE air defenses detected four cruise missiles launched from Iran, intercepting three, while one fell into the sea. The Ministry of Defense, in turn, stated that it continued to engage in “missile and drone attacks”. THE WAM also reported a fire in the Fujairah oil industrial zone following a drone attack.
The escalation affected aviation. THE Fars News reported that aircraft were “drift” in the country’s airspace, while the FlightRadar monitoring platform indicated temporary suspension of flights to Dubai and Sharjah and diversions to Muscat. A channel linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) also mentioned the suspension of flights.
In the region, Bahrain declared a state of alert for fear of a possible attack, according to Tasnim Newswhile Israel raised its level of readiness. In Oman, the Oman News Agency reported that a residential building in the province of Bukha, close to the Emirates, was hit, leaving two people dead, as well as damage to vehicles and neighboring properties.
