The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has confirmed that the situation across the country remains stable following precautionary safety alerts issued on Sunday morning after a missile threat was detected outside the UAE’s borders.

In a statement carried by WAM, NCEMA said it is working in close coordination with its strategic partners and that the country’s national monitoring and follow-up systems are operating around the clock with a high level of efficiency and readiness to monitor developments and respond immediately to any potential risks.

The authority confirmed that the missile threats detected earlier in the day remained outside the UAE’s borders and stressed that there are currently no indications of concern. Officials added that relevant authorities continue to closely monitor the situation and will provide updates through official communication channels as necessary.

Precautionary measures underscore emergency preparedness

Earlier on Sunday morning, NCEMA issued a public safety alert confirming that the UAE’s air defence systems were responding to a missile threat as part of the country’s precautionary emergency response measures.

Authorities advised residents to remain in safe locations and closely follow official government channels for warnings, instructions and further updates, according to a post published on the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority’s official X account.

NCEMA emphasised that the precautionary alerts and warning messages reflect the UAE’s proactive approach to managing potential developments or imminent risks, even when the likelihood of any direct impact is low. The Authority said the measures demonstrate the preparedness of the national emergency management system and its continued commitment to safeguarding public safety, security and community stability.

Authorities also urged members of the public not to approach, touch or photograph any fragments or unidentified objects that may have fallen following successful air interceptions. Such objects should be left undisturbed to allow the relevant authorities to safely assess and manage the situation.

Anyone who discovers fallen fragments or suspicious objects has been advised to report the incident immediately by calling 999.

Officials reiterated that the public should rely only on verified government sources for information and updates, warning against the circulation of unverified reports or speculation. NCEMA reaffirmed that it remains fully prepared to respond to any developments while continuing to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of residents across the UAE.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir who transformed Qatar from a relatively quiet Gulf state into one of the region’s most influential political and economic powers, has died at the age of 74.

The announcement was made on Sunday by Qatar’s Amiri Diwan, the country’s highest government body.

“The Amiri Diwan announced the death of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani on Sunday morning. May Allah have mercy on his soul and grant him the best reward for what he achieved for his homeland and nation,” the Diwan said in a statement.

Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 until 2013, when he stepped down in favour of his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

His reign marked a defining period in Qatar’s modern history. Under his leadership, the country leveraged its vast natural gas reserves to become one of the world’s wealthiest nations on a per-capita basis, while establishing itself as a major force in global energy markets through liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

Sheikh Hamad also significantly expanded Qatar’s international influence by launching the Al Jazeera Media Network, which reshaped Arabic-language broadcasting, and by pursuing an ambitious foreign policy that positioned the country as a key diplomatic mediator in regional and international conflicts.

His vision also laid the foundations for Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first tournament to be staged in the Middle East, cementing the country’s profile on the global stage.

Qatar, with a population of more than 2.5 million people, has evolved into one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, a major international investor through its sovereign wealth fund, and an increasingly influential player in regional diplomacy.

US Senator Lindsey Graham passed away on Saturday evening after a brief and sudden illness, the communications director for his office said in a post on X early on Sunday.

Graham, 71, was a prominent Republican senator from South Carolina. Earlier in his career, he was a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump before becoming one of his most loyal allies on Capitol Hill.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” his office added.

Graham was elected to the US Senate in 2002. Before serving in the upper house, he was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1994 for South Carolina’s third congressional district, according to his website.

A defence hawk, his website said he had “consistently pushed for outcomes in the War on Terror that protect our long-term national security interests.”

Graham recently served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. Graham also served as a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Graham was not married and lived in Seneca, South Carolina.

The US military launched fresh strikes on Iran after it struck a container ship on Sunday, while Tehran said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and escalated attacks on US facilities in states across the Gulf.

A series of attacks between the US and Iran over the past several days led President Donald Trump to declare the end of a ceasefire meant to halt the fighting that the US and Israel began on February 28, though Trump has left the door open to continued negotiations.

Iran said it closed the strait after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on an unapproved route. It warned that any retaliation over the incident would be met with a “severe response.”

US Central Command, however, said commercial vessels continue to transit through the waterway that carried one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments before the war.

Iran expands targets of attacks

Central Command said US forces hit 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday, out of more than 300 during three nights of strikes “to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait.”

Iranian state media reported explosions in a number of port cities.

In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they had destroyed a command and control centre and drone hangars at a base in Jordan, targeted a US military radar site in Kuwait, attacked US aircraft carrier support and refueling platforms in Oman and destroyed a fighter jet maintenance centre and command and control facility in Qatar.

The Guards also said they had struck and disabled a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

The UAE said its air defense systems engaged missiles and drones from Iran, while warning sirens sounded in Bahrain and explosions were heard in Doha.

Tehran’s strikes marked a sharp escalation in pace and targets. In recent weeks, Iran had hit sites in Kuwait and Bahrain while avoiding Qatar since early April and the UAE since early May.

‘Keep your word or pay the price,’ Iran says

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has accused the US of violating the ceasefire agreement. “There can only be mutual compliance,” he wrote on X on Friday.

On Sunday, Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf posted on X: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”

The US revoked the licence authorising the sale of Iranian crude on Tuesday after three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire earlier in the week, prompting the US to hit Iranian sites. Iran then struck US military sites in Gulf states.

While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the ship attacks, analysts say Tehran uses such actions to gain leverage in negotiations.

Araqchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi met in Oman to exchange “views on appropriate mechanisms for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” according to a statement from the Iranian foreign minister. Oman’s state news agency said Omani and Iranian negotiators would continue talks “at the technical and political levels.”

A written statement from Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, who was killed in the war’s initial attacks. It said the vengeance would take place whatever happened to Iran.

“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs,” the message said.

The statement was released to mark funeral ceremonies for the former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Thursday. His son did not attend the ceremonies and has not been seen in public since the war began.

The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has reassured residents that the country’s security situation remains stable following earlier missile and drone interception operations, saying national emergency systems continue to operate at the highest level of readiness.

In a fresh update posted on X, NCEMA said the missile threats detected on Sunday morning were outside UAE borders and that authorities remain fully prepared to respond to any developments.

“The situation remains stable, with national systems maintaining the highest level of readiness. Please rely on official channels for updates,” the authority said.

An accompanying statement added that there are currently no indications of concern, noting that the situation remains stable and is being continuously monitored. NCEMA said national monitoring systems are operating around the clock at full readiness and that precautionary alerts are issued proactively, even when the likelihood of impact is low.

The latest reassurance follows an earlier statement from the Ministry of Defence, which confirmed that UAE air defence systems had intercepted incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones launched from Iran.

In a statement posted on X on early Sunday morning, the MoD said the sounds heard in scattered areas across the UAE were the result of ongoing air defence operations intercepting the aerial threats.

“The UAE’s air defenses are currently engaging with missile attacks and incoming drones from Iran,” the ministry said, adding that its systems were intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles targeting the country.

The ministry later reiterated that “UAE Air Defence systems are actively engaging with missiles and UAV threats”, stressing that the explosions reported by residents were caused by the interception operations rather than direct impacts.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) also issued a public advisory on X, confirming that air defence systems were responding to a missile threat and urging residents to remain in a safe location and rely on official channels for warnings and updates.

The latest attack comes amid a sharp escalation in regional tensions following renewed exchanges between the US and Iran. Air raid alerts and defensive measures have also been reported elsewhere in the Gulf as multiple countries respond to the evolving security situation.

At the time of publication, authorities had not reported casualties or damage associated with the latest interceptions. The Ministry of Defence has urged the public to rely on official channels for updates as the situation continues to develop.