Iran conflict 2026: Ballistic missile attacks on UAE remain steady

Launchers for the UAEʼs Patriot, THAAD, and M-SAM II air-defence systems are seen during a visit by Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum to Al-Dhafra Air Base on 11 May 2025. (Dubai Media Office)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defence (MoD) said its air defences engaged 10 more Iranian ballistic missiles on 17 March, indicating there has been no apparent reduction in launches since the third day of the war.

Figures released by the MoD showed Iran launched a large-scale attack on the UAE on 28 February, the first day of US-Israeli war on Iran, with 137 ballistic missiles detected. Another 20 were destroyed and five landed in the sea on 1 March.

Since then, Iran has launched an average of 9.3 ballistic missiles at the UAE daily, fluctuating between a low of four on 4 March and 15 March and a high of 17 on 8 March, according to the MoD's figures.

The MoD initially reported a very high interception rate, saying 132 of 137 ballistic missiles launched on 28 February were destroyed and five landed in the sea. This was effectively claiming an unprecedented 100% interception rate, if the five that hit the sea were not engaged after their trajectories were calculated.

On 10 March, the MoD said just two of 262 detected ballistic missiles had impacted on land with another 19 hitting the sea and the rest successfully intercepted, implying the interception rate had dropped to 95%.

After 10 March, the MoD's announcements used the word ‘engaged' where it had previously said ‘detected', and they did not provide a breakdown for interceptions and impacts. The UAE MoD said on 17 March that the overall incoming ballistic missile number reached 314.