Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates said early on Friday that its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats from Iran, testing a month-long ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The UAE attack came a day after the two countries exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz.
UAE reports new threats
The UAE provided few immediate details about the latest attack. Iran has often targeted the UAE and other Gulf countries hosting U.S. bases since the war began on February 28.
Trump says US destroyers came under fire
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that three U.S. Navy destroyers were attacked as they moved through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows that Iran has all but closed since the conflict started.
“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump later told reporters in Washington that the ceasefire was still in effect and sought to play down the exchange.
“They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” Trump said.
Iran accuses US of ceasefire violations
Iran’s top joint military command accused the United States of violating the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out air attacks on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and the nearby coastal areas of Bandar Khamir and Sirik on the mainland.
The military said it responded by attacking U.S. military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar.
Conflicting claims over damage
A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the Iranian strikes inflicted “significant damage,” but U.S. Central Command said none of its assets were hit.
Iran’s Press TV later reported that, following several hours of fire, “the situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal now.”
Ceasefire has seen sporadic exchanges
The two sides have occasionally exchanged gunfire since the ceasefire took effect on April 7, with Iran hitting targets in Gulf countries including the UAE.
How do you think repeated exchanges around the Strait of Hormuz could affect regional security?
