Australian troops safe after Iranian missile strikes near UAE base

Wednesday, 18 March 2026 13:20

"The Iranian regime are engaging in frankly random attacks across the Gulf region."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed no Australian soldiers were injured after an Iranian missile struck close to an airbase they were stationed on.

A road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base on the outskirts of Dubai was struck by a missile hours ago, the PM confirmed, adding that Australian personnel were stationed at the air base at the time of the attack.

Speaking to media in Tasmania Albanese said all Australians on the base were accounted for.

Australian troops board a C-130 aircraft departing Al Minhad Air Base in 2013.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack and the actions of Iran against their Middle Eastern neighbours.

"I can assure everyone that every person there is safe," he said.

"There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire, that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base."

Albanese condemned the attack and Iran's actions on its Middle Eastern neighbours.

"I've spoken to the defence minister about this, and it's important that we recognise that the Iranian regime are engaging in frankly random attacks across the Gulf region," he said.

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Australia has had a military presence in Dubai at the Al Minhad Air Base for many years.

There are around 100 Australian military personnel situated in the Middle East.

Al Minhad Air Base is located about 24 kilometres away from the centre of Dubai, which has been consistently targeted by Iranian drones and missiles since the start of the conflict earlier this month.

There are around 100 Australian military personnel located in the Middle East at the moment.

"Most of them are in the UAE where we've had an operational headquarters at Al Minhad for many, many years now," Defence Minister Richard Marles said earlier this month when the base was previously targeted.

There were no injuries on that strike, which happened just a day after Iran began to launch strikes towards American installations in the Middle East in response to strikes that killed their Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 3.

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