UAE reports drone and missile attack as Iran war ceasefire is challenged

The Iran war’s shaky ceasefire has come under further strain as the United Arab Emirates responded to a missile and drone attack hours after the US said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliated against Iranian military facilities.

There were no immediate reports of damage in the UAE.

Iran and the US are trading blows as their negotiators are seeking a deal to end the conflict, but so far they have avoided a return to all-out fighting.

It is not clear how close the two sides are to deal on issues like Iran’s nuclear programme, which the US and Israel vowed to halt when they launched the war on February 28, or the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that Iran has all but closed in a bid to pressure the global economy.

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On Thursday, Tehran said it was examining the latest American proposals for ending the war delivered to it via Pakistan, which is serving as a mediator.

US president Donald Trump played down the exchange of fire between Iran and the US Navy on Thursday.

In a phone call with a reporter for ABC, Mr Trump called the retaliatory strikes against Iran “just a love tap”.

He insisted the ceasefire is holding and a deal could come “any day”, but reiterated threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal that allows for resumption of oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict.

“They have to understand: If it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain,” he told reporters in Washington.

Iranian state media said the country’s forces exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. It also reported loud noises and continuous defensive fire in western Tehran late on Thursday night.

The ceasefire between the US and Iran has largely held since April 8. In-person talks between the two countries, hosted by Pakistan last month, failed to reach an agreement to end the war that began February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

The UAE’s defence ministry advised residents not to approach, photograph or touch “any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions”.

Hours earlier, the US military said it had intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday night and “targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces”.

US Central Command said in a social media post that US forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defence strikes.

The American military said no ships were hit. It said it does not seek escalation but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces”.

Mr Trump told reporters that the ceasefire was holding despite the violence.

Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone on Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, officials said.

“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.

“We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.”

He declined to give a timeline.

Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in televised remarks, said Islamabad remained in “continuous contact with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire”.