US-Iran War Highlights: UAE says Iran targeted it with 4 missiles; fire erupts at Fujairah oil facility

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The United Arab Emirates has ordered all schools to shift to remote learning for the rest of the week following a series of attacks it says originated from Iran. In a statement, the education ministry said classes would move online from Tuesday through Friday as a precautionary measure.

“The Ministry of Education announces a decision to shift to a remote learning system starting from Tuesday, May 5, 2026, until Friday, May 8, 2026,” the statement read.

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, saying it would face devastating consequences if it targets US vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz under “Project Freedom.”

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacks American ships involved in the mission, which aims to secure safe passage through the critical waterway.

“We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before,” Trump told Fox News’ Trey Yingst. “We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They’re all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.”
 

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country reserves its “full and legitimate right” to respond following Iranian missile and drone attacks. In a statement, the ministry condemned the strikes as “treacherous” and described them as a serious escalation that poses a direct threat to the country’s security.
 

The Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi said three Indian nationals were injured in the attacks in Fujairah and are receiving care.

“We are in touch with local authorities for ensuring adequate medical care and welfare of the affected Indian nationals,” the embassy said in a post on X.

The United Arab Emirates is facing a second wave of drone and missile attacks from Iran within an hour, according to the Emirati Defence Ministry. Authorities said air raid sirens were activated across the country as air defence systems responded to incoming threats.

The United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of launching four cruise missiles at its territory, with air defences intercepting three and the fourth falling into the sea, according to the defence ministry. In a series of updates, the ministry said its air defence systems engaged incoming threats and that explosions heard across the country were the result of interceptions.

Authorities also confirmed a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone, the UAE’s key port on the Gulf of Oman that operates outside the Strait of Hormuz, though it did not immediately link the blaze directly to the missile strike.

Earlier in the day, residents were advised to take shelter following missile and drone alerts, before authorities later issued an all-clear message.
 

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority has issued a fresh missile alert, warning that air defence systems are responding to a potential threat. The alert, sent to mobile phones across the United Arab Emirates, urged residents to remain in safe locations and follow official instructions, according to witness accounts cited by news agencies. 

Earlier in the day, the UAE had issued the missile alert. It was the first such alert ⁠issued ​by the ​authorities since early April.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has rejected US claims that two merchant vessels recently crossed the Strait of Hormuz, calling the assertion false.

In a statement carried by Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said no commercial ships or tankers had passed through the waterway in recent hours. “Claims by US officials are baseless and complete lies,” the statement said.

Earlier, CENTCOM claimed, "2 US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz and are safely headed on their journey."

The Israel Defense Forces has issued evacuation warnings for six additional villages in southern Lebanon ahead of planned airstrikes targeting Hezbollah. Residents of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Mayfadoun, Qalaouiyah, Burj Qalaouiyah, al-Majadel and Srifa have been told to move at least one kilometre away from their homes as a precaution.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said.

US President Donald Trump posted an image on Truth Social highlighting military dominance over Iran. The graphic contrasts fully operational US Navy, Air Force, and missile defenses with images of destroyed Iranian naval vessels, aircraft, and air defense systems, labeling Iranian leadership as "DEAD." 

South Korea is investigating reports that one of its vessels may have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Yonhap News Agency. A government official said there were no reported casualties so far but added that authorities are “verifying the exact facts”.

The vessel is believed to be a bulk carrier operated by HMM. A fire broke out after an explosion occurred in the engine room, but it remains unclear whether it was caused by an external attack or an internal issue.

US President Donald Trump rejected a more aggressive military plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, choosing instead to continue with the current US operation in the region, according to Axios.

The report said Trump was frustrated with the ongoing stalemate — a situation marked by neither active war nor a clear agreement to end the fighting — but stopped short of approving a plan that could have triggered direct confrontation with Iran.

The proposal, presented by Brad Cooper, involved sending US Navy vessels through the strait and responding with force to any Iranian missiles or boats. It also included provisions to escalate into a broader conflict if Iran attacked Gulf countries. Despite rejecting the plan, a source close to Trump told Axios the current operation could still lead to tensions escalating.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is watching whether China will step up diplomatic engagement with Iran to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News, Bessent said the United States would urge China to support efforts to restore navigation through the critical waterway, which has been disrupted amid the ongoing conflict.
 

Gulf Cooperation Council has strongly condemned what it described as an Iranian attack on an Emirati oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a threat to maritime security. Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed al-Badawi said the vessel was struck by two suicide drones while in transit through the strategic waterway.

“The continuation of these brutal Iranian attacks by targeting ships passing through the strait is piracy and serious extortion of the security of sea lanes and straits,” al-Badawi said in a statement published on the GCC’s website.

He added: “His excellency expressed the GCC’s full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and its support in all measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security and stability.”

The United Arab Emirates issued a missile alert for the first time since the US-Iran ceasefire, briefly warning residents of a potential threat before declaring the situation safe. An emergency phone notification sent across the country urged people to seek immediate shelter and await further instructions, according to witness accounts cited by news agencies.

Minutes later, authorities issued a second message, informing residents in Dubai that the situation was “now safe” and that normal activities could resume.

United States Central Command said two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and are continuing their journey safely. The development comes as Washington rolls out a naval mission dubbed “Project Freedom” aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.

In a statement on X, CENTCOM said guided-missile destroyers were deployed to ensure safe passage, adding that US forces are “actively assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping”.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely stalled despite a US pledge to increase traffic and ease movement through the critical waterway, according to tracking data, cited by news agency Reuters. Data from MarineTraffic showed that only one sanctioned, handy-sized LPG tanker, along with a few cargo vessels and a cable-laying ship, entered the Gulf of Oman during the day.

There were no signs of tankers or other commercial vessels lining up to transit the strait. German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said transit for its vessels remains impossible due to a lack of clarity around security procedures in the area.

A senior United Arab Emirates official has warned that Iran’s threat to regional stability “cannot be ignored” after an Emirati commercial vessel was targeted in the Strait of Hormuz. “The Iranian aggression continues unabated, with acts of maritime piracy,” presidential adviser Anwar Gargash wrote on X.

“The UAE’s stance remains steadfast in rejecting aggression and upholding freedom of navigation in this vital international passage.”

The remarks come after reports that Iran targeted an Emirati-linked ship with drones, adding to rising tensions around the strategic waterway, a key route for global energy supplies.

Iran has executed three men convicted over unrest linked to January protests, according to the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency. The men — Mehdi Rassouli, Mohammad Reza Miri and Ebrahim Dolatabadi — were sentenced over their involvement in demonstrations in the eastern city of Mashhad. Authorities did not specify the exact timing or location of the executions.

However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that Rassouli, 25, and Miri, 21, were hanged at dawn on Sunday at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.