Australian PM Confirms Iranian Projectile Lands Near UAE Air Base
Synopsis
Tension escalates as Australian PM confirms an Iranian projectile struck near a UAE air base housing Australian troops. Fortunately, no injuries reported. What does this mean for regional stability?
Key Takeaways
Australian PM confirms no injuries from Iranian projectile strike.
Minor damage occurred at Al Minhad Air Base .
Military assets deployed for citizen repatriation amidst travel disruptions.
Approximately 115,000 Australians currently in the Middle East.
Ongoing concerns regarding Iranian attacks in the Gulf region.
Canberra, March 18 (NationPress) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that an Iranian projectile impacted close to an air base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Australian forces are stationed, with no reported injuries among personnel.
Albanese informed the press that the projectile struck a road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base, located south of Dubai, at approximately 9:15 a.m. local time, which corresponds to 2215 GMT on Tuesday.
“I can confirm that all Australian personnel are unharmed, and everyone remains completely safe at this time,” he stated.
“There was slight damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility as a small fire ignited from the projectile hitting the road leading to the base.”
The Australian Defence Force has utilized the Al Minhad Air Base as an operational headquarters since 2003 and has maintained a smaller contingent there since the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Albanese remarked that the Iranian government is conducting “random attacks” in the Gulf region, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Earlier, on March 5, Albanese confirmed that Australia had dispatched military assets to the Middle East to assist in the repatriation of citizens.
During a parliamentary session, Albanese mentioned that the government had sent military resources to the Middle East earlier that week for contingency planning to aid Australian citizens stranded amid significant travel disruptions due to ongoing conflict.
Reports from local media indicated that the military assets sent to the Middle East included a transport aircraft and a refueling plane.
The government also stated it was deploying six crisis response teams from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the Middle East to provide further consular support to citizens.
As of March 11, over 3,200 Australians had returned home on 23 commercial flights.
Albanese had previously disclosed that approximately 115,000 Australians are currently in the Middle East, with about 24,000 of them residing in the United Arab Emirates.
Point of View
The potential for escalating tensions in the Gulf region cannot be overlooked.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened near the UAE air base?
An Iranian projectile struck near the Al Minhad Air Base, where Australian soldiers are stationed, but no personnel were injured.
Is there any damage reported?
Yes, there was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire.
How long has the Australian Defence Force been at Al Minhad Air Base?
The Australian Defence Force has used the Al Minhad Air Base as an operational headquarters since 2003.
What military assets did Australia deploy to the Middle East?
Australia deployed a transport aircraft and a refueling plane to assist with the repatriation of citizens.
How many Australians are currently in the Middle East?
Approximately 115,000 Australians are in the Middle East, including about 24,000 in the UAE.
