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Iran hits Australian Air Base near Dubai, Defence Minister confirms personnel safe

By The South Asia Times

CANBERRA - An Iranian drone strike has hit the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, a facility used by Australian forces approximately 40 kilometres outside Dubai, Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed Tuesday, according to ABC News.

Marles said all Australian personnel are "safe and accounted for" following the strike, which occurred on the first night of the escalating conflict between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces. About 100 Australian Defence Force personnel are stationed across the Middle East, with most based in the UAE.

"This is a serious development, but our people are safe," Marles told reporters. "No personnel were injured in the strike on Al Minhad."

The base has served as an Australian operational headquarters since 2003, maintaining a reduced force since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. It is not the first time Australian personnel have come under fire -- an Iraqi base hosting more than 300 ADF personnel was struck by rockets in 2019.

Beyond the military facility, Dubai's international airport and the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel also sustained damage over the weekend as Iranian strikes targeted multiple locations across the UAE.

Marles reiterated the Albanese government's support for the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, stating the action has "as a core aim denying Iran the ability to acquire a deployable nuclear weapon, which would obviously be a catastrophe for the world."

However, he conceded that "it's very difficult to speculate on how long the conflict will last" as regional tensions continue to escalate.