The United Arab Emirates has cautioned Iran that it could adopt a more forceful military stance if missile and drone attacks on its territory persist, as tensions intensify across the Gulf.
Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy, in an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, said the UAE is prepared to defend itself but hopes further escalation can be avoided.
“We are prepared to defend ourselves. We hope it doesn’t come to it, but we’re not going to sit idly by as we continue to be recipients of such a barrage of attacks,” Al-Hashimy said.
Asked whether the UAE might assume a more combative role, she replied: “If it needs to come to that, it will come to that.”
She added that the next move rests with Tehran. “The ball is in Iran’s court about how they want to deal with a neighborhood and a neighbor that has traditionally been a very fair and good neighbor to them,” she said.
The warning follows what Emirati officials described as one of the largest direct assaults on the country in recent history. According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, Iran launched at least 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones toward the Emirates.
Authorities said most of the projectiles were intercepted by air defense systems, though 14 drones reportedly struck targets.
The unprecedented barrage reportedly targeted major urban centers, including the capital, Abu Dhabi, and the commercial and tourism hub, Dubai, heightening concerns about wider regional spillover from the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict.
The UAE, a key Gulf ally of the United States and a major regional economic hub, has so far characterized its response as defensive. However, Al-Hashimy’s remarks indicate that patience may be wearing thin as hostilities escalate following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
She emphasized that the country’s defense capabilities remain strong. “We have one of the best air-to-missile defense systems in the world and we are doing everything to ensure that we are safe and secure,” she said.
“We are in a safe place that has very strong infrastructure. We will leave no stone unturned to make sure that continues to be the case for all of our citizens and residents alike.”
