UAE Air Defenses Thwart Missile Attack, Flights Rerouted

UAE Intercepts Missiles, Flights Diverted The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported on Monday evening that its air defenses engaged missile and drone threats, leading to the diversion of multiple inbound flights and a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that these attacks, which it attributed to Iran, represent a significant escalation and a direct threat to national security, reserving the right to respond. Iranian state media, citing a senior military official, denied targeting the UAE.

The UAE Ministry of Defense confirmed intercepting three Iranian missiles over its territorial waters, with a fourth missile crashing into the sea. Flight tracking services, including Flightradar24, showed numerous flights bound for the UAE diverting to Muscat, Oman, or circling over Saudi Arabia due to the disruptions. Civil defense teams were deployed to manage the blaze at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, where three Indian citizens sustained moderate injuries and were hospitalized.

This incident follows a period of relative calm since an April 8 ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone has been previously targeted, including a drone attack on March 14 that caused fires and halted some oil-loading operations. Fujairah is strategically important for UAE oil exports, as it hosts the terminus of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, enabling crude shipments via the Gulf of Oman and bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.