Iran military strikes UAE's Al Minhad Air Base

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Iran military strikes UAE’s Al Minhad Air Base: UPDATED

August 31, 2026

DUBAI,— Iran’s military said it launched a drone strike on the United Arab Emirates’ Al Minhad Air Base early Monday, Iranian state television reported, citing an army statement.

The military said the strike hit areas of the base where American troops and helicopters were based.

Iran’s army said the action came in retaliation for the deaths of Revolutionary Guards members and Iranian civilians on Larak Island.

The UAE Defense Ministry said in a statement issued Monday that the country’s air force intercepted a drone that had entered its territorial waters from Iranian airspace.

The ministry gave no further information, leaving unclear whether the drone was destroyed or what it had been aiming for.

In a follow-up statement, the Ministry of Defense rejected media claims that Al Minhad Air Base had been struck by missiles, calling such reports false.

The ministry said the Armed Forces remain on high alert and ready to respond to any potential threats in a way that protects the UAE’s sovereignty, security and stability.

In response, the UAE’s foreign ministry issued a strong condemnation, calling the drone strike a serious escalation and a clear breach of the country’s sovereignty, security and stability.

Al Minhad Air Base, is a military facility in the UAE located about 15 miles south of Dubai. It is run by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

(With files from Reuters, UAE Defense Ministry, UAE’s foreign ministry)