UAE Accuses Iran of Firing Two Ballistic Missiles
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- UAE Defence Ministry detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran on August 18, 2026, with the first falling outside the country's territorial waters and the second falling within them.
- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei "categorically rejected" the UAE's claim, calling it harmful to regional trust and security efforts.
- UAE's Interior Ministry issued a phone alert warning residents of a "potential missile threat" and advising them to seek shelter in the nearest secure building; the alert was lifted shortly after.
- Since the West Asia war began on February 28, the UAE has borne the brunt of Iranian attacks, with nearly 3,000 missiles and drones directed at it — more than any other country in the region.
- A June memorandum of understanding between the two parties has since collapsed; after it took effect, the UAE reported no attacks, unlike other Gulf states.
- ADNOC state-owned oil tankers have been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks, though the latest accusation involves missiles directed at UAE territory rather than at shipping in the Gulf.
Why it matters: The collapse of the June MOU undoes the brief de-escalation window, and the UAE — which absorbed nearly 3,000 Iranian missiles and drones since February 28 — is once again the primary target. With ADNOC tankers also hit in recent weeks, Iran appears to be pressing both Gulf shipping infrastructure and UAE sovereign territory simultaneously.
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