We are prepared to defend ourselves. We hope it doesn’t come to it — UAE warns Iran to stop attacks

The United Arab Emirates has warned Iran that it may adopt a more forceful military posture if missile and drone attacks on its territory continue, as tensions across the Gulf escalate.

Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy, speaking to CNN’s Becky Anderson, said the UAE remains ready to defend itself but hopes further escalation can be avoided.

“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 move into a more combative role, she responded: “If it needs to come to that, it will come to that.”

She added that responsibility now rests 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.”

The warning follows what Emirati officials described as one of the largest direct attacks on the country in recent history. According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, Iran fired at least 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones toward the Emirates.

Authorities said the vast majority were intercepted by air defense systems, although 14 drones reportedly made impact.

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

The UAE, a key Gulf ally of the United States and a major economic hub in the region, has so far framed its response as defensive. However, the latest comments suggest patience may be thinning as hostilities widen following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.

Al-Hashimy stressed that the country’s defense systems remain robust. “We have one of the best air-to-missile defense systems in the world and we are doing everything to ensure that we are safe and secure,” she said.

“We are in a safe place that has very strong infrastructure. We will leave no stone unturned to make sure that continues to be the case for all of our citizens and residents alike.”