The Fujairah oil hub has been hit repeatedly by Iranian drones as the US-Israeli war continues to ignite instability.
The Fujairah oil hub has been hit repeatedly by Iranian drones as the US-Israeli war continues to ignite instability in the region.
By Reuters
Published On 17 Mar 2026
A drone attack has sparked a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as Iran continues to launch sustained attacks on Gulf countries amid the United States-Israeli joint war on its soil more than two weeks ago.
The Fujairah government’s media office on Tuesday said there were no casualties from the attack on the energy facility, located about 150km (93 miles) east of Dubai.
This comes after another fire broke out at the Fujairah oil hub on Saturday, when debris fell during the interception of a drone.
Abu Dhabi authorities also reported a separate incident involving falling debris in the Bani Yas area, following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems. The incident resulted in the death of a Pakistani national, the Abu Dhabi media office said.
Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defences were repelling incoming missiles and drones from Iran, causing loud bangs and a brief closure of UAE airspace.
Iran has sought to justify its attacks on Gulf countries by arguing that the presence of US military bases on their soil makes those states legitimate targets, after Israel and the US launched joint air attacks on Tehran on February 28.
However, civilian infrastructure has also been hit, including landmarks, airports, ports and oil facilities across the Gulf.
The UAE, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020, has faced the brunt of the attacks. Iran has fired more than 1,800 missiles and drones at the UAE, more than any other country attacked by Tehran in the conflict.
All Gulf Arab states have been affected, reporting more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks since the war began.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also intercepted drones and missiles on Tuesday.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior said civil defence staff were dealing with a “limited fire” in an industrial area following shrapnel falling from an intercepted missile.
A public safety alert was issued in Qatar amid the sound of explosions heard by residents in Doha. “No injuries recorded,” the ministry said in a post on social media.
Al Jazeera’s Victoria Gatenby, reporting from Doha, said, ” Authorities are dealing with that at the moment. No one was injured.”
“There has also been more disruption across the region. The UAE’s entire airspace had to be closed early this morning for several hours because of warnings of missile attacks from Iran. It has now reopened, but of course major transit hubs like Dubai International Airport have had to cancel or reschedule flights, causing massive disruptions for passengers.
Gatenby said the death in Abu Dhabi Tuesday “comes after the same authorities confirmed yesterday that a Palestinian man had been killed after a rocket fell on a residential area. These attacks from Iran are still causing a huge disruption in this region”, she added.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said two drones were intercepted and destroyed in the east of the country. Earlier, the ministry said six drones were engaged by Saudi forces in the same region of the country and successfully destroyed.
The Kuwait National Guard announced it had successfully intercepted two drones, without specifying the target or location of the attack.
In a joint statement, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries condemned the “sinful Iranian attacks” on Monday and pledged to defend their territories.
The leak of the attempt itself suggests a significant possibility that Larijani has been killed or at least wounded.
"There is a wide feeling across the Gulf that Iran has crossed every red line with every Gulf country,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center.
In a closed discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the defense establishment has increased its demands to NIS 177 billion, with the possibility that the war with Iran will take longer.
Israeli military strike targeted Iran's security chief Larijani, fate unclear, officials say Israel's military has targeted Iran's security chief Ali Larijani, four Israeli officials said, adding that it was not immediately clear whether