Key facts
- UAE air defenses are engaging incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones from Iran.
- Explosions were heard in Qatar and missile alerts sounded in Bahrain.
- The escalation follows U.S. strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice.
- Iran threatened to target additional enemy bases in the region if attacked further.
The United Arab Emirates' air defenses are actively engaging incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones from Iran, the country's defense ministry announced. Explosions were heard in Qatar and missile alerts sounded in Bahrain, following U.S. strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously suggested that an interim deal and ceasefire in the Iran war was "over." U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented online, "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
In the Strait of Hormuz incident, a Cyprus-flagged container ship sustained significant engineroom damage, and a civilian crew member is missing, according to U.S. Central Command. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard stated that multiple vessels disregarded warnings and instructions, with one being struck by a warning shot and brought to a stop.
Iran declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed "until further notice" and indicated it would consider targeting "additional enemy bases in the region" if subjected to further attacks.