• The UAE says it intercepted three Iranian cruise missiles, with a fourth falling into the sea—marking the first such attack in weeks.
  • A separate drone strike hit Fujairah's oil zone, sparking a fire and injuring three people. Flights around Dubai and Sharjah were briefly disrupted, and a nearby cargo vessel reported a fire.
  • Iran has launched thousands of missiles and drones at the UAE during the conflict, making it a primary target. The latest strikes highlight rising regional tensions, as the UAE deepens security ties with the U.S. and Israel.

The UAE's air defenses intercepted a volley of missiles overnight, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense. Three cruise missiles were shot down, while a fourth fell into the Arabian Sea, causing no casualties. The attack, attributed to Iranian-backed forces, comes after a relative lull in strikes on Emirati territory.

Earlier on Thursday, a drone strike ignited a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industries Zone, a critical energy hub. Emergency crews contained the blaze, but three workers sustained minor injuries. Air traffic at nearby Dubai and Sharjah airports was temporarily halted as a precaution, and a commercial vessel anchored off Fujairah reported a small fire, now extinguished.

“These are reckless acts that threaten regional stability,” a UAE official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official confirmed that the country's defense systems remain on high alert.

The attacks underscore the continued threat to Gulf infrastructure, even as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions falter. Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE, viewing it as a proxy for U.S. and Israeli interests. In response, Abu Dhabi has accelerated defense cooperation with Washington, including joint air defense exercises, and expanded intelligence-sharing with Israel.

Analysts say the strikes risk disrupting oil flows from one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Fujairah, a major bunkering port, handles millions of barrels of crude daily. While no production outages have been reported, insurance premiums for vessels transiting the Gulf are expected to rise.

A spokesperson for Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The UAE's foreign ministry has called for an emergency session of the Arab League.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of missiles intercepted. Three were shot down, not two.