Drone sparks fire at UAE oil site as Gulf takes more hits amid Iran war 

A drone strike 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 resulting 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, after debris fell during the interception of a drone.

Abu Dhabi authorities also reported a separate incident involving falling debris in the Baniyas 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 Ministry of Defence said air defences in the UAE were repelling incoming missiles and drones from Iran, causing loud bangs and a brief closure of the UAE’s 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 strikes 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 targeted 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.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said two drones were intercepted and destroyed in the east of the country. Earlier, the ministry said six drones were also engaged by Saudi forces in the same region of the country and successfully destroyed.

The Kuwait National Guard (KNG) announced it had successfully intercepted two drones, without specifying the target or location of the attack.

In a joint statement, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries condemned the “sinful Iranian attacks” on Monday and pledged to defend their territories.