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Iranian Projectile Strikes Near UAE Air Base Hosting Australian Troops

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed an Iranian projectile struck near the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, where Australian forces are stationed. He reported no injuries to Australian personnel, though minor damage occurred to an accommodation block and medical facility. Albanese criticized the Iranian regime for engaging in "random attacks" across the Gulf region. The incident follows Australia's recent deployment of military assets to the Middle East to assist with citizen repatriation amid regional travel disruptions.

Key Points: Iranian Projectile Hits Near Australian Base in UAE, No Injuries

  • Projectile hit road near Al Minhad Air Base
  • No Australian personnel injured
  • Minor damage to base facilities
  • Albanese condemns Iran's "random attacks"
  • Australia had deployed assets for citizen repatriation
2 min read

Australian PM says Iranian projectile strikes near UAE air base

Australian PM confirms Iranian projectile struck near Al Minhad Air Base. No Australian personnel injured. Minor damage reported to facilities.

"I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time. - Anthony Albanese"

Canberra, March 18

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday confirmed that an Iranian projectile struck near an air base in the United Arab Emirates where Australian soldiers are stationed, but that no personnel were injured.

Albanese told reporters on Wednesday that the projectile hit a road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base south of Dubai around 9:15 a.m. local time, Australian Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday (2215 GMT on Tuesday).

"I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," he said.

"There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base."

The Australian Defence Force has used the Al Minhad Air Base as an operational headquarters since 2003, but it has hosted a smaller Australian force since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Albanese said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime is engaging in "random attacks" across the Gulf region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on March 5, Anthony Albanese had confirmed that Australia had deployed military assets to the Middle East to aid with the repatriation of citizens.

Speaking in parliament, Albanese had said that the government deployed military assets to the Middle East earlier in the week as part of contingency planning to help Australian citizens who are stranded in the region amid widespread travel disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict.

Local media had reported that the military assets deployed to the Middle East were a transport aircraft and a refueling plane.

The government had announced it was deploying six crisis response teams from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade into the Middle East to provide additional consular assistance to citizens.

More than 3,200 Australians had returned on 23 commercial flights as of March 11.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously revealed that there are around 115,000 Australians in the Middle East, with around 24,000 of those in the United Arab Emirates.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The Middle East situation is so volatile. It directly impacts global oil prices and our economy here in India. Hope our government is closely monitoring and ensuring the safety of Indian expats in the UAE as well. There are so many of us working there.
R
Rohit P
"Random attacks" as the PM says. This is why strong diplomacy is needed, not just military posturing. Countries like Australia and India should work together to promote stability in the region through dialogue. Jai Hind!
S
Sarah B
Respectfully, while I'm glad no one was hurt, Australia's continued military presence in the Middle East since 2003 is part of the problem. It creates targets and escalates tensions. Maybe it's time for a full withdrawal and focus on regional partnerships in the Indo-Pacific instead.
V
Vikram M
115,000 Australians in the Middle East! That's a huge number. The UAE is like a second home for so many global workers, including lakhs of Indians. This incident near Dubai is worrying for everyone living there. Hope things calm down. 🙏
K
Karthik V
Good to see they had crisis response teams ready. That's proper planning. Our own authorities should take note for contingency plans to protect Indian citizens abroad, especially in conflict zones. Safety of our people should be the top priority, always.

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