The United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of launching a series of missile and drone attacks that set an oil refinery on fire in the eastern emirate of Fujairah and injured three Indian nationals. Authorities said an Iranian drone caused a “large fire” at the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone during the strikes on Monday.

These attacks are the first reported incident involving the UAE since Iran and the United States agreed to a ceasefire on April 8. The escalation comes at a time of rising tensions in the region. It follows a new initiative by US President Donald Trump to escort stranded oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route that has remained largely closed since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28.

Iran’s unified military command issued a warning to commercial vessels against accepting the US offer. It stated that American forces “will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz”. This warning added to the already tense situation in the region.

According to the UAE’s Ministry of Defence, its air defence systems responded to multiple threats during the day. Officials said they “engaged” 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones that were launched from Iran. The scale of the attack shows a significant escalation in hostilities.

The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly criticised the strikes. It condemned in the “strongest terms the renewed terrorist, unprovoked Iranian attacks, targeting civilian sites and facilities in the country”. The ministry said the country would not accept any threat to its security and sovereignty. It added that the UAE reserves the “full and legitimate right to respond” to such actions.

Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks. State broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting quoted a well-informed military source saying that Iran had “no pre-planned programme to attack the mentioned oil facilities”. The source instead blamed “US military adventurism aimed at creating a passage for the illegal transit of ships through the restricted waterways of the Strait of Hormuz”. It further added that “the US military must be held accountable for this”.

Later, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency cited another unnamed source who warned that if the “UAE takes unwise action, all of its interests will become Iran’s target”. This statement raised concerns about possible further escalation.

The situation developed after Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had stopped US warships from entering the Strait of Hormuz “with a firm and swift warning”. The Fars News Agency later claimed that two missiles struck a US frigate near the Iranian island of Jask. However, the US military denied this claim.

Soon after, the UAE reported that Iran launched two drones at a tanker linked to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company while it was passing through the strait. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash described the attack on the Barakah oil tanker as an “maritime piracy”. ADNOC confirmed that the vessel was not carrying any cargo and that no injuries were reported.

The strikes continued with missile and drone attacks. Authorities in Fujairah confirmed that an Iranian drone caused a “large fire” at the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone. Three Indian citizens were injured during this incident, highlighting the human impact of the escalation.

Dubai-based journalist Natasha Turak said the attacks have created a sense of unease among residents. “We heard the first missile alert ringing out over our phones for the first time in nearly a month since that shaky ceasefire was established. And I would say people here are feeling a lot of dismay, anger, frustration, but they are not entirely surprised,” she told Al Jazeera.

She explained that the tensions remain unresolved. “That’s primarily because the key drivers of this war and the main sticking points between the US and Iran have not yet been resolved,” she said. Talks between Iran and the US have remained stalled since the ceasefire began, with Iran’s nuclear programme and control over the Strait of Hormuz continuing to be major issues.

The ceasefire was reached through mediation by Pakistan and was followed by direct talks in Islamabad on April 11. However, those discussions did not lead to a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce without setting a deadline after a request from Pakistan.

Turak added that tensions are rising again. “Both sides have now ratcheted up the escalation, and the UAE, suddenly, is the first to feel that blowback from the uptick in escalation, just as it was when the conflict began,” she said. “This country has received the highest volume of Iranian attacks, and it seems like it’s all kicked off again.”

In response to the situation, the UAE’s Ministry of Education announced that all public and private schools across the country would switch to distance learning until Friday. The decision was taken to ensure “the safety and wellbeing of the educational community”.

The attacks have drawn strong reactions from countries around the world. Saudi Arabia and Qatar condemned Iran and expressed support for the UAE’s actions to “preserve its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”. Kuwait described the incident as “reprehensible aggression”, while Bahrain called it “a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region”.

Ayman Safadi also condemned the “brutal attack” during a phone call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Jordan’s Petra news agency.

Western countries also reacted strongly. Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom criticised Iran and urged it to return to negotiations to prevent further escalation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the strikes were “a clear violation of sovereignty and international law”.

“These attacks are unacceptable,” she said on social media, adding that “security in the [Gulf] region has direct consequences for Europe”.

India also reacted strongly to the incident. The Ministry of External Affairs said the attack on the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone, which injured three Indian nationals, is unacceptable. It called for an immediate end to hostilities and condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent people. India said it continues to support dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in West Asia. It also stressed the need for free and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international law, and affirmed its readiness to support efforts for a peaceful resolution.