The UAE Ministry of Defence on August 31 flatly denied reports that missiles struck Al Menhad Air Base, calling the claims false and urging the public to rely on official channels rather than unverified media accounts. Hours earlier, Iranian state media and the Iranian army had painted a very different picture, claiming Tehran launched dozens of attack drones at the same facility targeting US military personnel stationed there.
What each side is saying
The UAE’s statement was direct. Reports of a missile attack on Al Menhad Air Base are false, the Ministry of Defence said, adding that the country’s armed forces remain on high alert and fully capable of defending national security against external threats. The ministry also confirmed that UAE forces had intercepted a drone detected over territorial waters originating from Iran on the same day.
Iran’s version of events is considerably more dramatic. Iranian sources described the operation as retaliation for a US airstrike on Larak Island, a strategically located island near the Strait of Hormuz, which reportedly took place on August 30. According to Iranian state media, that strike killed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as civilians, prompting Tehran to respond within 24 hours by sending swarms of attack drones toward Al Menhad. The Iranian army specifically claimed the drones targeted US forces and helicopters at the base. None of these claims have been independently verified.
