The United Arab Emirates has rejected reports that Dubai’s Al Minhad Air Base was targeted by missiles, urging the public to rely on official sources as tensions across the region continue to escalate.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Monday that reports circulating about a missile attack on Al Minhad Air Base were unfounded. The ministry said the facility remained on high alert and fully prepared to respond to any potential threats.
The denial came amid a wider escalation involving the United States and Iran, with military exchanges reported for the first time in a month and heightened activity around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
UAE rejects reports of Al Minhad missile attack
The Ministry of Defence said reports claiming that missiles had struck or targeted Al Minhad Air Base were not accurate.
Authorities called on the public to obtain information through official government channels and warned against spreading rumours or inaccurate reports.
The ministry also said the UAE’s military remained on full alert, with the country prepared to address threats that could emerge amid the deteriorating regional security situation.
The clarification was issued as several developments unfolded across the Gulf and wider Middle East, increasing concerns over the potential impact of the latest US-Iran confrontation.
UAE air defences respond to drone over territorial waters
Earlier on Monday, the UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that its air forces had responded to a drone over the Emirates’ territorial waters after the aircraft came from Iran.
The ministry said UAE Armed Forces remained fully alert and that air-defence systems were continuing to monitor and track the country’s airspace around the clock.
The authority again urged residents to depend on official sources for information and avoid circulating unverified claims.
The drone incident came against the backdrop of a broader military escalation involving Washington and Tehran.
US and Iran exchange strikes
The latest escalation followed US military action against Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards subsequently said they had attacked US military bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles. The IRGC claimed the strikes caused heavy damage, while Jordan’s military said it had intercepted eight missiles without identifying their origin.
The United States said its operation targeted Iranian forces involved in laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said American forces had taken what it described as limited and precise action against IRGC minelaying forces, arguing that the operation was intended to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping and the free movement of global commerce.
The exchange marked the first reported direct US-Iran military confrontation in a month.
Iran warns against further escalation
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the United States and countries supporting its military actions would bear responsibility for the consequences of further escalation.
Tehran also confirmed that Iranian forces had struck US military bases in Jordan, describing the action as a response to the US attack on Larak Island.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country was not seeking war but would respond decisively to what he called aggression.
The latest statements point to a continued risk of further military escalation as both sides defend their actions and issue warnings against additional attacks.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern
The latest developments have also renewed attention on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
According to shipping data cited in the source report, the number of visible commodity vessels crossing the strait fell to around five a day over the weekend. The actual number could be higher because some vessels had reportedly switched off their automatic identification systems.
Weekend traffic was largely limited to smaller vessels, including liquefied petroleum gas carriers.
The situation has become particularly sensitive after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a supertanker had caught fire after striking two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state television, citing the IRGC, reported that the vessel had been attempting to pass through the waterway illegally. The Guards did not identify the tanker or provide details about its crew.
The IRGC also warned that vessels violating its security regulations could face similar consequences.
Oil prices rise amid renewed military tensions
Financial markets also reacted to the latest escalation.
Brent crude futures rose by more than 2 per cent, climbing $2.51, or 2.85 per cent, to $90.61 a barrel at 2.41am GMT, according to the source report.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was trading at $85.53 a barrel, up $2.13, or 2.55 per cent.
The increase reflected renewed concerns over the potential effect of military tensions on energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Dispute over claims involving Kharg Island
Another point of uncertainty emerged around Iran’s Kharg Island, a major oil hub.
US President Donald Trump posted a video on social media claiming that Kharg Island had been “blown to smithereens”. However, the source report said there was no evidence several hours later that the island had been attacked as claimed.
Reuters reported that the dramatic explosion footage accompanying Trump’s post appeared to have been artificially generated.
Iranian officials also rejected the claim. Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, said oil operations on Kharg Island had not stopped and described the situation there as calm.
According to Iranian state-linked reporting, Kharg Island handles a significant share of Iran’s oil exports and has previously come under attack.
UAE calls for a sustainable political solution
As military tensions intensified, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash called for a realistic and sustainable political solution to the regional crisis.
Gargash said a situation of neither war nor peace could not provide a lasting answer. He also argued that targeting Arab Gulf states and Jordan had failed to produce a viable outcome.
He called for an approach that addressed both the political and economic dimensions of the crisis, including efforts to reduce escalation and restore normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Gargash also said that a more practical roadmap was needed, arguing that the existing memorandum of understanding had failed to provide an acceptable and workable path forward.
UAE urges public to follow official information
With conflicting claims circulating amid the wider conflict, UAE authorities have repeatedly stressed the importance of relying on official information.
The Ministry of Defence’s denial of the reported missile attack on Al Minhad Air Base came alongside its confirmation that UAE air defences had responded to a drone over the country’s territorial waters.
The contrasting developments underline the heightened security environment facing the UAE as the broader US-Iran confrontation continues.
For residents and the wider public, authorities have advised caution over unverified reports and encouraged people to obtain updates directly from official government sources.
What happens next?
The situation remains fluid as the United States and Iran exchange military warnings and actions, while developments around the Strait of Hormuz continue to attract international attention.
For the UAE, the immediate focus remains on maintaining airspace and national security while monitoring developments across the region.
The denial of an attack on Al Minhad Air Base also highlights the importance of distinguishing confirmed military developments from unverified claims at a time when misinformation can spread rapidly.
Meanwhile, calls from UAE officials for a sustainable political solution indicate that diplomacy remains central to efforts to prevent the current escalation from developing into a wider regional crisis.
