Drone attack on UAE Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone

On May 4, 2026, a massive fire erupted in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) belonging to the United Arab Emirates, which UAE authorities have accused Iran of causing as a result of a direct drone attack. With this incident, the ceasefire agreed between Iran and the United States in April 2026 has broken down, and regional war tensions have intensified once again.

This zone is considered a major center for the United Arab Emirates' oil exports, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, and due to this attack, thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky from oil storage facilities and factories.

The UAE Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Iran launched four cruise missiles towards their airspace, three of which were successfully destroyed in the air by air defense systems, while the other missile fell into the sea. The sounds of explosions from the missile destruction were heard across the country, and initial announcements were issued, urging people to go to safe places. Approximately an hour after this first attack, another wave of drone and missile attacks occurred, and additionally, two more Iranian drones attacked an Emirati commercial vessel linked to ADNOC operations.

The Fujairah Media Office has confirmed that Fujairah Civil Defense teams were immediately deployed to control the fire that erupted with the attack, and it is reported that the fire may have been caused either by the direct attack or by debris falling from the destruction of the missiles. Three Indian nationals sustained moderate injuries and were hospitalized due to this incident, but no other fatalities have been reported from within the storage complex so far.

The Fujairah Oil Zone, one of the world's largest oil storage and fuel supply centers, handles millions of barrels of crude oil daily and previously faced a similar series of drone attacks in March 2026. With this attack, the global energy market has been severely jeopardized, and oil prices are reported to have risen sharply, while oil loading operations at Fujairah Port have also been disrupted. Satellite and ground photographs show massive plumes of smoke and flames continuing to spread around the ADNOC terminal and Vopak Horizon storage facilities, and efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing with the aim of minimizing environmental damage.