The United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of attacking it with a barrage of missiles and drones, setting an oil refinery ablaze in the eastern emirate of Fujairah and wounding three Indian nationals.
While the attacks on Monday marked the first on the UAE since Iran and the United States agreed to a ceasefire on April 8, the UAE Defence Ministry reported late on Tuesday that it is actively engaging with a missile and drone attack from Iran. It said sounds heard in parts of the Gulf federation are related to the interception of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
The attacks came after US President Donald Trump launched a new effort to escort stranded tankers out of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s unified military command warned commercial ships against taking up the US offer and said American forces “will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz”.
Shortly afterwards, the UAE announced that Iran had launched two drones at a tanker affiliated with its Abu Dhabi National Oil Company that was passing through the strait.
The UAE said its air defences “engaged” 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran over the course of the day. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned in the “strongest terms the renewed terrorist, unprovoked Iranian attacks, targeting civilian sites and facilities in the country”. It said it will not tolerate any threat to the UAE’s security and sovereignty and warned that it reserves the “full and legitimate right to respond” to the attacks.
Unacceptable, says India
India has condemned Iran's attack on the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone in the UAE which left three Indian nationals injured. In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry termed the attack as “unacceptable”.
“The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable. We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
The ministry said New Delhi continues to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation so that peace and stability may be restored across the Middle East. “We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law,” it said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack, saying the targeting of civilians and infrastructure was “unacceptable”. “India stands in firm solidarity with the UAE and reiterates its support for the peaceful resolution of all issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” the PM posted on X.
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