𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧: '𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀'--- 𝗨𝗔𝗘 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

1𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 2026

The United Arab Emirates has warned Iran that it could adopt a more forceful military posture if missile and drone attacks on its territory persist, amid escalating tensions across the Gulf region.

Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem Al-Hashimy, made the remarks during an interview with CNN anchor Becky Anderson, stating that while the UAE hopes to avoid further escalation, it remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty.

“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.

When asked whether the UAE could assume a more combative role in response to continued aggression, she replied: “If it needs to come to that, it will come to that.”

The minister added that the responsibility for de-escalation lies 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 authorities described as one of the largest direct attacks 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.

Officials said the vast majority of the projectiles were intercepted by air defense systems, though 14 drones reportedly struck targets within the country.

The unprecedented barrage reportedly targeted key urban centres, including the capital, Abu Dhabi, and the commercial and tourism hub, Dubai, raising fears of wider regional spillover from the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict.