An Iranian missile struck near Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates just after 9am on Wednesday, reaching closer to Australian defence positions than the government had previously disclosed. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed no Australian troops were wounded and that "everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time".
The base, located roughly 24 kilometres south of Dubai, sustained minor but visible damage. An accommodation block and a medical facility were damaged by a small fire caused by the missile hitting the road leading up to the base. Australian troops have operated from Al Minhad since 2003, although their numbers were significantly reduced following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, with around 100 ADF members currently deployed across several Middle Eastern countries, with most stationed in the UAE.
The incident reflects the scale of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf region. Since 28 February 2026, following coordinated Israeli and United States strikes on Iran, the Islamic Republic launched 285 ballistic missiles, 1,567 drone attacks and 15 cruise missiles (according to UAE ministry) against the United Arab Emirates, killing seven people, including 2 military personnel, and injuring 145 others. Albanese described the Iranian regime as "engaging in frankly random attacks right across the Gulf region."
Australia has responded by materially expanding its military footprint in the region, a significant shift in posture that carries strategic implications. The E-7A Wedgetail and supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks in support of the collective self-defence of Gulf nations, and the Albanese Government intends to provide Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to the UAE. The Wedgetail from the Royal Australian Air Force's No. 2 Squadron will provide a "long-range reconnaissance capability which will help secure the airspace above the Gulf" for an initial four-week period.
Canberra has framed the deployment primarily through the lens of protecting 115,000 Australians living in the Middle East, among them 24,000 in the UAE. Yet the role of the surveillance aircraft has become contested. A high-tech Australian military surveillance plane deployed to the Middle East is providing valuable data to a United States run military operation centre which is coordinating strikes against Iran. Defence Minister Richard Marles insisted the RAAF aircraft was operating in the Middle East in a "defensive capacity"."
Critics have raised questions about the sustainability of this position. Australia could potentially become enmeshed in other operations now that it has assets there; if the US Navy takes military action to forcibly open the strait, it is possible Australia could be called on to support this, initially using the E-7A Wedgetail already in place. The government, however, has been explicit: "The Albanese Government has been clear that we are not taking offensive action against Iran and we have been clear that we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran."
The narrowness of the escape at Al Minhad serves as a sharp reminder of how proximity to American military infrastructure in the Gulf carries direct risks. In 2019, an Iraqi military base housing more than 300 ADF personnel was struck by rockets while Australian and New Zealand forces were engaged in a joint mission to train Iraqi troops. As Iran's capacity to conduct sustained attacks gradually diminishes under continued coalition pressure, the danger for Australian personnel in the region may decline. Yet the decision to expand rather than reduce the Australian military presence signals a judgement that the strategic value of maintaining allied solidarity and defending vital sea lanes outweighs those risks for the duration of the crisis.