UAE confirms missiles detected outside borders, situation stable after alert

The UAE announced its air defence systems were engaging with fresh missile and drone threats on early Sunday morning, July 12.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) alerted residents at 6.37am that sounds heard across the country were due to ongoing interception operations and urged the public to remain calm and follow safety instructions.

The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) later confirmed that the missile threats detected this morning were outside the country’s borders, and assured residents that the situation was stable.

It said precautionary alerts are issued proactively, even when the likelihood of impact is low. Relevant authorities are said to be monitoring developments and will share updates through official channels, it added.

The MoD had earlier warned not to approach, touch, or photograph any debris or fragments that have fallen from the interceptions, and allow relevant authorities to assess the situation.

Upon seeing any debris or incident, the public has been urged to immediately report it by calling 999.

The attacks come after the US military said it launched another round of strikes on Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a container ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.

The Emirates’ alert marks the first genuine nationwide emergency warning issued since May 4 — a gap of 69 days. On May 4, authorities activated air defences in response to aerial threats, with the MoD similarly attributing loud sounds across the country to interception operations.

Although many residents also received an alert on June 26, officials later clarified that notification was triggered by a technical glitch and was not linked to any security incident.

Qatar and Bahrain air defences also engaged missiles and drones across the Gulf countries on Sunday morning, as air sirens were sounded to alert residents.

Latest attacks

A series of attacks between the US and Iran over the past several days led President Donald Trump to declare the end of a ceasefire meant to halt the fighting that the US and Israel began on February 28, though Trump has left the door open to continued negotiations.

Iran said it closed the vital Strait of Hormuz after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on an unapproved route. It warned that any retaliation over the incident would be met with a “severe response”.

US Central Command identified the vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, saying it suffered significant engine-room damage and that a civilian crew member was missing.

Inputs from Reuters