What Caused The 'Incorrect' Missile Attack Warning In Dubai? UAE Issues Apology

Last Updated:June 26, 2026, 23:28 IST

Residents in Dubai received an emergency alert on their phones, advising them to take necessary precautions in the event of a missile attack before it was retracted.

After residents across parts of Dubai received a missile attack warning alert on their mobile phones on Friday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said the alerts resulted from a technical malfunction.

The emergency alert advised people to take necessary precautions in the event of a missile attack. However, the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said the alerts were caused by a technical glitch.

It said the issue was resolved by specialised teams and apologised for the disruption. The incident comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia following recent hostilities involving Iran, although no fresh attacks have been reported on the UAE since Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June aimed at ending the conflict.

The country also apologised for “incorrect alert messages" after they sparked panic among residents. “The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and the relevant entities apologise for this unintentional technical malfunction," said a statement posted on X.

“The specialised teams immediately initiated the necessary corrective procedures upon detecting the issue, in accordance with approved plans to ensure service continuity and minimize any potential impact on users," it added.

Immediately after the alerts were issued, the UAE’s Ministry of Interior said the situation was normal, without explaining why the alert had been issued.

The UAE was among the Gulf countries hardest hit by Iranian missiles during Tehran’s war with the US, with significant disruption to daily life amid missile alarms and loud explosions from interceptions.

The country engaged 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,263 UAV’s — battling nearly 3,000 attempts of attacks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Abu Dhabi this week during a tour aimed at reassuring hard-hit Gulf countries over peace talks with Iran.

At least 13 people were killed, and 227 others were injured during a series of retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran. Among those killed were two Emirati military personnel, one Moroccan contractor, and ten foreign nationals from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The strikes also disrupted key infrastructure and energy facilities across the UAE. A drone attack on the Ruwais Industrial Complex sparked a major fire, forcing ADNOC to temporarily suspend operations at its 922,000-barrels-per-day refinery. Separate strikes also targeted oil storage facilities at the Port of Fujairah.

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Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int...Read More

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