UAE Air Defence Intercepts Two Iranian Missiles, One Landing in Territorial Waters

The UAE Ministry of Defence reported on August 18, 2026, that two Iranian ballistic missiles were launched toward the UAE on August 17, with one landing in Emirati territorial waters and the second falling outside its territory, triggering the first UAE alert in more than a month. A phone alert was sent to residents at 6:52 p.m., followed by an all-clear 10 minutes later; the alert was mostly sent to residents in Dubai and Sharjah. UAE air defence systems were alerted on Tuesday evening, the first such incident since mid-July. On July 12, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority detected a missile threat but later said no projectile entered UAE territory. The ministry said it remained on high alert and fully prepared to deal with any threat. As of August 24, UAE defence officials reaffirmed that air-defence units remain on high alert and prepared to respond to any threat; residents were informed that air-defence sounds would continue and no evacuation orders were issued. The August 17 incident came amid ongoing tensions from the 2026 Iran war that began on February 28 when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeting nuclear and military infrastructure. As of April 9, 2026, the UAE had intercepted and destroyed 537 ballistic missiles, 2,256 drone attacks, and 26 cruise missiles fired from Iran using THAAD and Patriot missile defence systems acquired from the United States. The attacks have killed 13 people, including two military personnel, one civilian contractor, and 10 other civilians, and injured 224 others. In response to the escalating threat environment, the UAE suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran indefinitely and completed infrastructure hardening at critical nodes including Dubai International Airport. The UAE's overall threat ranking remains moderate globally, but the trajectory has shifted from stable to elevated due to state-level escalation and maritime vulner