The first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India today – July 29. The Rafale jets landed at Al Dhafra base as part of an overnight halt. Al Dhafra base is located about an hour from UAE’s capital city Abu Dhabi.
CNN reported that alert was sounded at UAE’s Al Dhafra base and Al Udeid airbase in Qatar after intel indicators hinted at an incoming “Iranian missile possibly headed that way”. CNN added that personnel present at these two bases were told to take cover but no missile landed at these bases.
Iran launched missiles strikes targeting a mock aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, an exercise that included firing a barrage of missiles towards US bases in the Middle-East.
State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said that the IRGC also planned to fire “long-range ballistic missiles” as well during the drill that will continue Wednesday.Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in US troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command in Qatar, the military said.
“The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all-clear was declared after the threat … had passed,” said U.S. Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman. Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country’s air force.
Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet that patrols the Mideast, said officials were aware of an Iranian exercise she described as “attempting to intimidate and coerce.”
“While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters,” Rebarich said.
