(Al Jazeera Media Network) The United Arab Emirates has come under attack from Iranian missiles and drones for the second day in a row, according to its Defence Ministry, while Iran denied being behind the aggression.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said late on Tuesday that the country’s forces “have not carried out any missile or drone operations against the UAE in recent days.”
“If any action had been taken, we would have announced it firmly and clearly. Therefore, the report of that country’s Ministry of Defense is absolutely denied and is devoid of any truth,” the IRGC statement carried by the Fars news agency said.
According to the UAE, Tuesday’s attack came a day after at least three people were injured in strikes the day before, and a drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility in the eastern emirate of Fujairah.
The results of the latest attack were not immediately clear.
The escalation comes amid fears of a return to war between Iran and the US, after Washington launched a new initiative, dubbed “Project Freedom”, to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz starting on Monday. About a fifth of global energy exports pass through the narrow waterway.
In retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Iranian forces have effectively taken control of the strait by attacking – or just threatening – vessels attempting to cross without Tehran’s permission. The move has triggered a global energy shock, pushing oil and gas prices to multi-year highs.
In response, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and shipping on April 13, limiting Tehran’s ability to export oil, import essential goods and maintain foreign-exchange inflows.
On Monday, hours after Washington’s operation was due to begin, Iranian forces said they had fired on US warships. US Central Command denied that any vessels had been hit, but confirmed that Iran launched cruise missiles at US naval assets and US-flagged commercial ships.
US forces said they had destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as incoming missiles and drones.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/5/uae-intercepts-missiles-and-drones-for-second-day