DUBAI (AP) : The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense announced that the country’s air defenses were “actively engaging” with a missile and drone attack early Friday as the shaky ceasefire in the Iran war came under renewed strain.
The ministry advised residents not to approach, photograph or touch “any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions.”
The latest attack came amid growing regional tensions despite a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States that has largely held since April 8.
Hours earlier, the US military said it had intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday night and carried out strikes on Iranian military facilities linked to attacks on American forces.
US Central Command said in a social media post that US forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defense strikes.
US Central Command said in a social media post that US forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defense strikes.
The US military said no ships were hit and stressed that it did not seek escalation but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”
President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the ceasefire was still holding despite the latest violence.
The UAE was heavily targeted during the first six weeks of the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28 when Washington and Israel launched strikes against Iranian targets.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi this week accused Tehran of resuming drone and missile attacks on UAE territory, with strikes reported on Monday and Tuesday marking the first such attacks since the April 8 ceasefire agreement.
According to UAE officials, the country has faced more than 2,000 drones, hundreds of ballistic missiles and dozens of cruise missiles launched from Iran since the conflict began. While most were intercepted, the attacks killed at least 13 people, wounded more than 200 and damaged energy infrastructure and landmark buildings.
Other Gulf Arab states have also faced repeated attacks during the conflict despite insisting they were not involved in the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
On Thursday, the UAE announced the formation of a national committee tasked with documenting Iranian attacks and the resulting human, economic and material damage as part of preparations for possible legal action against Tehran.
The committee, chaired by the UAE attorney general, will compile evidence of what officials described as “Iranian acts of aggression” and alleged international crimes committed against the UAE, its citizens, residents and visitors.
State news agency WAM said the body would document violations according to internationally recognized legal and technical standards to support the country’s pursuit of accountability, justice and reparations.
The announcement came a day after the UAE condemned what it described as hostile statements by Tehran accusing Abu Dhabi’s cooperation with the US of threatening Iran’s security and national interests.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said its defense partnerships and international relations were a “purely sovereign matter.”
In-person talks between the US and Iran hosted by Pakistan last month failed to produce a broader agreement to end the war.
