UAE says it detected 2 Iranian ballistic missiles; Tehran denies

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Ministry on Tuesday announced that the country's air-defense systems had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, while Tehran denied the claims.

In a statement on US social media company X, the UAE Defense Ministry said the air defense forces detected two Iranian ballistic missiles that "were targeting maritime navigation and fell into the sea."

For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei "rejected the United Arab Emirates' claim that Iran launched a missile at the country."

Baqaei expressed "regret over the accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, calling this behavior contrary to the principle of good neighborliness," according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran. In response, Tehran retaliated with strikes in regional countries, including the UAE, hosting US assets.

In mid-June, Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding under Pakistani mediation aimed at ending their war and reaching a lasting peace agreement.

Talks, however, have since broken down amid ongoing disputes over the memorandum's terms and navigation through the Hormuz Strait, a critical route for global energy exports.