Iran Warns UAE Residents to Evacuate Ports, Labels Facilities 'Legitimate Targets'

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - AFP reported Saturday that Iran’s military warned residents in the United Arab Emirates to stay away from ports, calling the facilities “legitimate targets” for strikes against American missile assets and military installations. The statement, carried by Iranian state television, came from the military’s central operational command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, which said Tehran “considers it its legitimate right to defend its national sovereignty and territory by striking American enemy missiles located in ports, docks and US military hideouts” in the UAE. Civilians were urged to “evacuate” port areas.

The warning coincided with reports of smoke rising from a major UAE energy installation in Fujairah, AFP journalists said, marking the latest incident affecting Gulf petroleum facilities. Fujairah hosts a key port with oil storage and export terminals and has previously been targeted in drone strikes, officials noted. Local authorities said debris from a drone intercepted by air defenses sparked a fire, though the exact location of the blaze was not specified.

The incident occurred hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said American forces had struck targets at Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub, which handles almost all of the country’s crude exports. Trump also threatened additional strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure. The chain of events highlights ongoing cross-border attacks on Gulf energy installations since the beginning of the war, which has disrupted critical oil and gas operations across the region.

Since the onset of hostilities, Iran has systematically targeted major energy facilities from Kuwait to Oman, according to AFP. These attacks have focused on oil and gas fields and large processing complexes, including Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas base, and the Ruwais refinery complex in the UAE. The campaign has also effectively halted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas previously transited.

The warning to UAE residents is part of a broader pattern of escalating Iranian military messaging and operations in the Gulf. Officials said the strikes aim to target American military assets and infrastructure in the region, reflecting Tehran’s continued engagement in the conflict following U.S. operations against Iranian facilities. AFP reporting noted that Iranian forces have conducted drone strikes against ports and energy terminals in the UAE earlier this month, with interception efforts by local authorities occasionally leading to fires from falling debris.

Tehran’s military statement emphasized the defense of national sovereignty as justification for potential strikes on UAE ports. “We consider it our legitimate right to defend our national sovereignty and territory,” the Khatam Al-Anbiya command said, AFP reported, reiterating that American military assets located in ports, docks, and other facilities would be considered targets. Residents in affected areas were specifically advised to evacuate to reduce the risk of harm from any military action.

The Fujairah incident, which produced visible plumes of black smoke, underscores the vulnerability of energy infrastructure in the Gulf amid the current conflict. Analysts and local authorities cited by AFP said that drone strikes and falling debris have repeatedly affected operations at key terminals, disrupting the regional supply of crude oil and liquefied natural gas. The strikes also coincide with heightened U.S.-Iran tensions after American airstrikes on Iranian installations in Kharg Island, which is central to Iran’s oil export capacity.

The combination of warnings to civilians, reported fires, and ongoing regional military operations illustrates the complex security environment in the Gulf. Iranian officials framed the measures as defensive, aimed at deterring further U.S. attacks, while Gulf states have been compelled to respond with air defenses and public safety measures. AFP reporting indicated that both civilian and commercial activity at port facilities in Fujairah has been disrupted, reflecting the broader impact of the conflict on regional logistics and energy exports.

Authorities in the UAE confirmed that some damage was caused by debris falling from intercepted drones, but no precise casualties or damage estimates were immediately available. The warnings and incidents highlight ongoing risks to critical infrastructure in one of the world’s most strategically important oil-producing regions.

The developments underscore the continuing escalation of hostilities between Iran and U.S.-aligned forces, with Iranian military officials publicly urging precautionary measures for civilians while asserting their right to strike military targets.

Iran’s military statement and AFP reporting confirm that UAE ports and energy facilities remain at the center of potential military operations, with residents urged to evacuate vulnerable areas and authorities continuing defensive measures against drone and missile threats.