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Key facts
- UAE authorities issued a phone alert warning of a potential missile threat.
- Residents were advised to seek immediate shelter.
- The warning was lifted shortly after it was issued.
- A subsequent message instructed residents to disregard the initial alert.
- No further explanation was provided for the alert or its retraction.
- The alert followed an attack on a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz and Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
- Iran is suspected of launching a drone attack against a tanker off the coast of Oman.
- The UAE Foreign Minister spoke with his Iranian counterpart following the alert.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates issued a mobile phone alert on Friday warning residents of an incoming missile threat and advising them to seek shelter. Shortly after, the warning was retracted with instructions to disregard the initial alert, though no explanation was provided. The alert, which startled many in Dubai, underscored ongoing regional tensions, particularly following recent incidents including an attack on a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz and Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Iran is suspected of launching a drone attack against a tanker off the coast of Oman. Following the alert, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, emphasizing the importance of commitment to the interim deal between Iran and the U.S.