Iran denies striking UAE as it comes under attack with drones: Updates

Iran has tonight denied striking the UAE, adding that any retaliation will be met with a ‘crushing response.’

In a statement carried by Iranian media, a spokesperson for the IRGC said: ‘The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not carried out any missile or drone operations against the UAE in the past few days.’

It added that if the UAE decided to take military action, Iran will meet this with a ‘crushing and regretful response.’

The UAE has declared it is responding to a missile threat from Iran as the country’s air defence systems are activated.

In a social media post, authorities said: ‘The UAE’s air defenses are currently dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran.

‘The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE’s air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

‘UAE Air Defences system are actively engaging with missiles and UAV threats.’

The Pope has this evening rebuked Donald Trump’s claims that he was in support of Iran having a nuclear weapon.

The US President said on radio earlier this week that the Pontiff was ‘endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people’.

The Pope responded: ‘For years, the Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt on that point.

‘If someone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully.’

It came as Marco Rubio insisted that his upcoming trip to the Vatican has nothing to do with growing tensions between Trump and the leader of the Catholic Church.

The US Secretary of State spoke to reporters in Washington tonight as Iran vehemently denied striking the United Arab Emirates with drones.

Here is a summary of what Rubio had to say:

• The US aims to free 23,000 sailors trapped in the Strait of Hormuz through Project Freedom, which he dubbed a ‘defensive operation’.
• The American-Israeli Operation Epic Fury offensive is now complete – and the President wants to meet Iran at the negotiating table.
• Rubio urged Tehran to ‘prove’ it doesn’t want a nuclear weapon amid fears over the Middle Eastern nation’s stocks of enriched uranium at 60 per cent.
• He claimed that tensions between Israel and Lebanon stem from Hezbollah. ‘They terrorise and attack Israelis, but they also are inflicting tremendous damage on the Lebanese people,’ he added.
• Rubio was tight-lipped while responding to a question regarding the nations that are backing the US’s Project Freedom.
• He warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could easily hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage. If Iran regains control of the passage, the cost of living across the world would not fall.
• Rubio said that stranded vessels in the Strait have been ‘left for dead’ by the Iranian regime.

Marco Rubio has claimed that the US is working to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a ‘favour to the world.’

He said: ‘It’s their ships that are stranded. Not ours.’

The statement comes just a day after the US said two American-flagged ships were escorted out of the Strait of Hormuz by its military.

Rubio says he hopes China will tell Iran that what it is doing in the Strait of Hormuz is causing its global isolation.

A cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile within the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday, adding that the environmental impact from the incident was unknown.

It said in a statement tonight, following a report received at 7.30pm UK time:

‘UKMTO has received a report of an incident within the Strait of Hormuz. A verified source reported a cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile. Environmental impact is unknown at time of report.

‘Vessels are advised to report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, whilst authorities investigate.’

In a pointed barb at Iran’s leaders, Rubio said top officials in Tehran are ‘insane in the brain.’

He said: ‘The time’s come for Iran to make a sensible choice. It’s not easy for them to do that, obviously, because they have a fracture in their own leadership system, and apart from that, I mean, the top people in that government are, to say the least, you know, they’re insane in the brain.’

Marco Rubio has warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could easily hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage.

He said at a White House press briefing: ‘If Iran had a nuclear weapon, they’d close the strait, and they’d tell the world, what are you going to do about it? We have a nuclear weapon. We can attack you with it.

‘That’s the world none of us want to leave behind. It won’t happen under this President’s watch.’

He added that if Iran were to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz, the cost of living across the world would stay high.

Rubio said: ‘If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to close the straits and make our gas prices like $9 a gallon or $8 a gallon, or $8 a gallon, we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, because they have a nuclear weapon and a nuclear armed Iran could do whatever they held they want with the straits, and there’s nothing anyone will be able to do about it.

‘And that’s one of the many reasons, apart from like the massive loss of life in a nuclear strike, why Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.’

Marco Rubio has declined to say how many countries have offered to assist the US with Project Freedom.

He claimed that ‘a lot of countries’ want to help, but many don’t have the resources to do so, pointedly adding: ‘Unfortunately, [many] do have a navy but are saying: “Oh, we’ll be involved, but we’ll be involved after it’s over”.’

Rubio said: ‘I don’t want to get into who these countries are, for obvious reasons, you know, because they are prepared to help us in certain ways, but maybe don’t want that publicly disclosed for no other reason than it impacts foreign policy. It could have some domestic ramifications.’

Rubio said: ‘Under no circumstances can we ever allow them to normalize the fact that they get to blow up commercial ships and put mines in the water. So the response to that is, we’re going to blockade your ships.

‘That’s not an act of war, that’s a defensive measure – it’s a counter to what they have decided to do. You know what is an act of war? Putting mines in the water.’