UAE comes under Iranian attacks for second consecutive day (www.aljazeera.com)
from TheTimeKnife@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 05 May 17:49
https://lemmy.world/post/46470773

The United Arab Emirates has come under attack from Iranian missiles and drones for the second day in a row, according to its Defence Ministry. Tuesday’s attack came a day after at least three people were injured in strikes the day before, and a drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility in the eastern emirate of Fujairah.

The results of the latest attack were not immediately clear. The escalation comes amid fears of a return to war between Iran and the US, after Washington launched a new initiative, dubbed “Project Freedom”, to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz starting on Monday. About a fifth of global energy exports pass through the narrow waterway. In retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Iranian forces have effectively taken control of the strait by attacking – or just threatening – vessels attempting to cross without Tehran’s permission. The move has triggered a global energy shock, pushing oil and gas prices to multi-year highs. In response, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and shipping on April 13, limiting Tehran’s ability to export oil, import essential goods and maintain foreign-exchange inflows.

#world