The United Arab Emirates said it was under attack from Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday, even as Washington maintained that a fragile ceasefire remained in place despite escalating tensions in the Gulf.
The U.S. military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, after President Donald Trump ordered naval forces to escort stranded tankers through the Strait of Hormuz in a campaign dubbed “Project Freedom”.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was temporary and aimed at safeguarding commercial shipping, adding that the four-week-old truce remained intact.
“We’re not looking for a fight. Right now the ceasefire certainly holds, but we’re going to be watching very, very closely.” Hegseth told a press conference.
Iran fired missiles at U.S. ships on Monday and launched attacks on the UAE, a key U.S. ally in the region. Shortly after Hegseth’s remarks, the UAE defence ministry said its air defences were again intercepting incoming missiles and drones from Iran.
The UAE foreign ministry described the strikes as a serious escalation and a direct threat to national security, saying the country reserved its “full and legitimate right” to respond. Iran did not immediately comment on the latest allegations.
Earlier, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said U.S. and allied actions risked further destabilising the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and fertiliser shipments, has been effectively disrupted since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, driving up global commodity prices.
Hegseth said U.S. forces had secured a passage through the strait, with hundreds of commercial vessels waiting to transit.
Reports of explosions and fires aboard merchant ships surfaced on Monday, while an oil facility in the UAE was hit by Iranian missiles, triggering a blaze.
Iran has threatened to deploy mines, drones and fast-attack craft in the strait, while the United States has responded with naval escorts and a blockade of Iranian ports.