The United Arab Emirates’ military on Tuesday detected two ballistic missiles fired at the country from Iranian territory, marking the first direct attacks on the Persian Gulf nation in more than a month.
The UAE Defense Ministry announced via social media that both missiles fell into the ocean, with one falling within the emirate’s territorial waters.
The ministry did not specify if its forces shot down the missiles, but an earlier post from the same source warned civilians that “if any sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense interceptions.”
“The Ministry of Defence affirms that it remains on high alert and fully prepared to address any threats, and to respond firmly to any attempt aiming to undermine the security of the UAE, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security and stability, and protects its interests and national capabilities,” the statement reads.
Iran has not claimed responsibility for the strikes. If confirmed, the strikes would constitute the first Iranian attacks on the UAE in more than a month.
While the UAE received the brunt of Iranian missile and drone attacks in the first phase of the U.S.-Iran war earlier this year, it has held comparatively little of Tehran’s attention after hostilities restarted last month.
The UAE Defense Ministry announced July 12 that it had detected missile threats beyond its borders, but there have been no high-profile drone or missile strikes on the emirate since.
By contrast, Iran has launched several missile and drone attacks on U.S. military bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain since fighting restarted, resulting in the deaths of several U.S. service members last month.
Tuesday’s attack also comes after a period of relative calm in the latest round of fighting, following President Trump’s decision to pause a large-scale bombing campaign against Iran.
However, reports this week indicate that the pressure from the U.S. naval blockade may force Iran to accelerate the conflict with more regional strikes.
