Tipsheet

Iran Launches Another Strike Against the United Arab Emirates

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  May 05, 2026 11:45 AM

For the second day in a row, Iran has launched a series of strikes against the United Arab Emirates, as the regime has targeted the country's oil facilities. 

Oddly enough, the wave of attacks has reportedly drawn criticism from Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has appeared to act independently, steering the conflict in its own direction. Many analysts have pointed to a growing divide between Iran’s political leadership and the hardline commanders of the IRGC as a key obstacle in negotiations. While political figures may be more open to compromise, the IRGC appears to favor continued escalation.

This comes after the UAE announced yesterday that its missile defense system was activated as Iran launched four missiles at the country. Three were intercepted, while one fell into the sea. In a separate incident, Iran also launched two suicide drones toward the UAE. 

Following the attacks, a fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, currently the UAE’s only remaining oil export outlet, built primarily to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear whether the fire was caused by the Iranian strikes.

This comes as the United States is reportedly nearing a resumption of major combat operations following Iranian attacks on both the UAE and U.S. ships in the region.