UAE intercepts drone after US and Iran exchange attacks

What the report says

The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted a drone approaching from Iran over its territorial waters and dismissed claims that its Al Menhad airbase had been attacked. In a statement posted on X, the UAE Ministry of Defence called those reports false and urged people to rely on official sources rather than rumours. The incident was reported on Monday, following an overnight exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran.

According to Al Jazeera’s reporting, Iranian state-linked media said Iran’s army launched drones at US military targets at Al Menhad and at bases in Jordan. The article also says a US official reported that American forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island before Iran retaliated. The competing accounts highlight how quickly the conflict has widened beyond direct US-Iran strikes to involve Gulf states and nearby partners.

Senior UAE official Anwar Mohammed Gargash condemned the renewed escalation and said targeting Arab Gulf states and Jordan had failed to achieve its aims. He also called for de-escalation and a return to normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy exports. More broadly, the article says the latest violence comes amid stalled negotiations and fresh sanctions, with regional mediators trying to restart talks to end the war.