The United Arab Emirates’ air force intercepted an Iranian drone over its territorial waters on Monday, according to the Defense Ministry. The interception occurred after a weekend exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran, marking the first significant military action in more than a month.
The UAE Defense Ministry stated that it "dealt with" an Iranian drone detected approaching from Iran over its waters. No damage was reported. In a subsequent statement, the ministry denied an Iranian army claim that the Al Minhad Air Base in Dubai had been targeted, labeling the claim as false.
The incident followed U.S. strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on an Iranian island Sunday, which broke a lull in fighting in a conflict that has lasted over six months. Iran responded by launching missiles toward U.S. sites in Jordan, which were intercepted.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has advocated for a negotiated end to the conflict, stated early Monday that Iran would "not hesitate to exercise the inherent right of legitimate defense and will respond decisively to any military aggression." However, he also stressed that Iran was not seeking war.
Pezeshkian was scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's summit in Kyrgyzstan, a group comprising nations seen as a counterweight to U.S. global influence. He was slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was set to host meetings of the Group of 20 finance ministers in North Carolina. These meetings come as Washington increases its efforts to economically isolate Iran, threatening penalties for any country or entity continuing to do business with Tehran.
U.S. Central Command reported on Sunday that it had struck Iranian launchers after observing forces from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Last week, the U.S. military announced it had completed clearing sea mines from the waterway's international shipping routes.
Semi-official Iranian news outlets reported hearing explosions near Larak Island in the strait, and the Revolutionary Guard stated there had been casualties. U.S. military officials characterized their actions as a "limited, precise action" against minelaying forces, disputing Iran’s portrayal of the strikes as aggression.
Iranian state television later broadcast footage of what it identified as ballistic missiles being fired at American bases in Jordan. Jordan’s military confirmed that it had intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace.
The ongoing conflict, which began on February 28, has seen Iran target U.S. military bases and infrastructure in Gulf countries. The last confirmed U.S. targeting of Iran occurred on July 29, when the military announced a "heavy wave of strikes" against numerous Revolutionary Guard targets. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously ordered a halt to new strikes on August 1, following appeals from Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.