UAE considers striking Iranian missile sites as regional war spreads
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A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai. Photo: Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images
The United Arab Emirates is considering taking military action to stop Iranian missile and drone strikes on the country, two sources with knowledge of the matter tell Axios.
Why it matters: An Emirati strike on Iran would be unprecedented. The fact that it's being considered reflects the enormous anger among Gulf countries over Iranian attacks that have targeted civilian infrastructure and oil and gas facilities.
- The UAE has been the country most attacked by Iran since the start of the war — even more so than Israel.
What they're saying: "The UAE is considering taking active defensive measures against Iran. Although it has not been involved in the war in any way, it has still endured 800 projectiles," a source familiar with Emirati policy discussions said.
- "The view in the UAE is that no country in the world would fail to evaluate its defensive posture under such circumstances," the source added.
The latest: The Emirati foreign ministry said in a statement that the "UAE retains its right to self-defense." It added that the UAE "has not taken any decision to alter its defensive posture in response to the repeated Iranian attacks."
Driving the news: On the first day of the war, Iran attacked the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. On the second day, the strikes expanded to also include Oman and Saudi Arabia.
- The attacks led Qatar to suspend most of its natural gas production, and on Monday, an Iranian drone struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
- Debris from intercepted missiles ignited fires at Jebel Ali port, and a drone struck a luxury hotel on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah.
The intrigue: Israeli officials believe Saudi Arabia might also take military action in retaliation for Iranian attacks.
Anwar Gargash, foreign policy adviser to the UAE president, wrote on X that Iran's attacks against Gulf states "was a miscalculation and has isolated Iran at a critical juncture."
- "Your war is not with your neighbors, and this escalation only reinforces the narrative that Iran is the primary source of danger in the region and that its missile program is a constant source of instability," he wrote.
Zoom in: The Emirati Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Iran had launched 186 ballistic missiles at the UAE — 172 were intercepted, 13 fell into the sea and one landed on Emirati territory.
- An additional 812 drones were detected, of which 755 were intercepted and 57 made impact within the country. Three foreign nationals have been killed and around 70 wounded.
- "The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, citizens and residents," the Defense Ministry said.
The big picture: Iran's retaliatory strikes have turned the war into a sweeping regional crisis, pulling in countries that never wanted to be part of the conflict.
- Since the U.S.-Israel bombing campaign began, Iran has targeted U.S. bases and other targets in UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq — including the Kurdish region.
- President Trump said Monday that Operation Epic Fury is designed to last four to five weeks, giving the conflict significant room to expand further.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from the Emirati foreign ministry.
