Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. A fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone on Monday after a drone attack originating from Iran, authorities said. The UAE military separately said it intercepted three Iranian missiles over its waters and a fourth crashed into the sea.
Fire contained and injuries reported
Civil defence teams were deployed immediately to contain the blaze at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, the Fujairah Media Office said in a statement. It added that three Indian citizens were moderately injured in the attack and taken to hospital.
UAE reports missile interceptions
The UAE defence ministry said on social media that its forces had intercepted three missiles, with a fourth falling into the sea. UAE authorities on Monday issued mobile phone alerts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi warning of the possibility of missile attacks.
Iranian statements and map cited by news agencies
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy issued a map it said showed an expansion of areas under Iranian control near the Strait of Hormuz, encompassing the UAE ports of Fujairah and Khorfakkan as well as the coast of the Umm Al Quwain emirate, Iranian news agencies reported.
End of relative calm and earlier attack
The drone attacks ended a period of relative calm in the UAE since a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8, pausing more than two months of intense fighting in the Gulf region. During the period of intense conflict, the UAE said it had intercepted and destroyed thousands of drones and missiles.
Monday’s strike was not the first time Fujairah’s energy infrastructure had been targeted. A drone attack on March 14 previously hit the Port of Fujairah, triggering fires and the suspension of some oil-loading operations.
Fujairah’s role in oil exports
Fujairah has been critical to UAE oil exports during the Iran war as it sits at the end of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which carries crude from inland fields to the Gulf of Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. This has allowed the UAE to continue shipping oil to global markets even as the waterway remained under threat.
What impact could renewed attacks in Fujairah have on oil shipments from the UAE?