UAE intercepts drone after US and Iran exchange attacks

The United Arab Emirates says it has engaged a drone coming from Iran over its waters and denied reports of an attack on its Al Menhad airbase, after the United States and Iran resumed hostilities for the first time since July.

Iran’s army said in a statement cited by Iranian news agencies that dozens of drones were launched at US military assets at the Al Menhad airbase in the UAE early on Monday.

In a statement on X on Monday, the UAE’s Ministry of Defence described the reports as “false” and “urged the public to rely on official sources for information and to refrain from circulating rumours or inaccurate information”.

Later, the ministry said the UAE’s air force intercepted a drone “over the country’s territorial waters, approaching from Iran”.

The incident comes after the US and Iran exchanged attacks overnight, further denting hopes for a resolution of the more than six-month-long conflict.

US forces on Sunday struck two Iranian launchers on Iran’s Larak Island, some 660km (410 miles) east of ⁠Kharg Island, a US official said. Iran retaliated by attacking two bases used by US forces in Jordan and the UAE’s Al Menhad airbase, according to Iranian media.

The Jordan strikes targeted US bases used to launch and support the attack on Larak, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Iranian army said its drone attack on the UAE’s airbase targeted sites where US forces and helicopters were stationed in response to the Larak casualties.