UAE accuses Iran of firing two ballistic missiles at its territory

The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles at its territory, marking the first time the Defence Ministry detected a barrage aimed at the country in months.

Also read: West Asia war updates on August 18, 2026

“UAE air defences detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, with the first falling outside the country’s territorial waters, while the second fell within the territorial waters,” said a statement posted by the Defence Ministry on X.

The statement came nearly two hours after a brief phone alert warned UAE residents of a “potential missile threat”.

“Due to the current situation and potential missile threats, immediately seek a safe place in the closest secure building,” the Interior Ministry said in the phone alert, which was lifted shortly after.

It was the first such alert since a false alarm in June and an alert in July for an attack that ultimately did not enter UAE territory. Before that, the last missile warning came in early May.

Iran denies firing missiles at UAE on Tuesday

But Iran denied launching missiles towards the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) after Abu Dhabi accused Tehran of firing two ballistic missiles at shipping in the Gulf.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei “categorically rejected the United Arab Emirates’ claim that Iran had launched a missile toward that country”, calling it harmful to regional trust and security efforts.

Tankers belonging to state-owned oil company ADNOC have been repeatedly targeted in the past few weeks.

When the war in West Asia began on February 28, the UAE bore the brunt of Iran’s attacks, with nearly 3,000 missiles and drones directed at the country — more than anywhere else in the region.

After a memorandum of understanding came into effect in June between the two parties, which has since collapsed, the UAE reported no attacks, unlike other Gulf states.