Iran Launches Drone Attack on UAE Fujairah Port, Bypassing Hormuz... Oil Shipments Suspended

Iran launched a drone attack on the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which had been regarded as an alternative route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the suspension of oil shipments.

Fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Complex, United Arab Emirates (March 3). Photo by Yonhap News.

This came just hours after US forces struck military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s largest crude oil export base, prompting Iran to retaliate. This is the first attack on non-US assets since the outbreak of the conflict.

According to local media reports on the 14th (local time), one or two Shahed drones attacked oil storage facilities at Fujairah port that morning, causing a fire. While Fujairah authorities stated that "no casualties have been reported," Bloomberg reported that oil shipment operations were partially suspended due to the strike.

Fujairah port is located on the Gulf of Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz and on the Indian Ocean, and is connected by the approximately 400-kilometer Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) to oil fields in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Up to 1.8 million barrels of crude oil are exported daily, mainly to Asia and Europe.

Previously, US forces bombed military facilities on Kharg Island, which is home to Iran’s largest crude oil and petroleum product export terminal. In response, the Iranian military warned that it would target oil, economic, and energy infrastructure in the Middle East, and appears to have singled out the port of Fujairah as its next target.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which commands Iran’s armed forces, stated, "The United States, which has had its bases in the Middle East destroyed, attacked our islands such as Abu Musa and Kharg. We warn the UAE leadership: Iran has the right to defend its sovereignty and territory by striking US missile launch bases hidden throughout major ports, docks, and cities in the UAE." The statement went on to advise, "We recommend that our Muslim brothers and residents in the UAE vacate these areas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.