PROJECT FREEDOM: LAUNCHED SUNDAY, PAUSED TUESDAY. ATTACKS CONTINUED FOR A SECOND DAY.
EMIRATES WIRE | WEDNESDAY BRIEFING 6 May 2026
The UAE has consistently called for a ceasefire and de-escalation. It was not a party to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began this war. It is, nevertheless, where the war lands.
The United States launched Project Freedom on Sunday. By Tuesday evening, Trump paused it.
The reason, per Trump’s own Truth Social post: Pakistan and other countries requested it, and “great progress” has been made toward a complete and final agreement with Iran. The US Navy blockade of Iranian-linked shipping remains in full force. The escort convoys do not. Multiple commercial vessels transited the Strait under US protection in the 24 hours before the pause. Iran’s senior negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has previously warned that Iran has “prepared new battlefield options” and will fight to end the “war–ceasefire–war” cycle. Trump launched Project Freedom with fanfare on Sunday morning. Iran answered with missiles on Monday. Pakistan asked Trump to stop by Tuesday evening. That is the full arc of the operation, in three days.
The bigger question — whether a deal is actually close — was left entirely unanswered. Trump offered no details on what “great progress” means, who is negotiating, or on what terms.
THE UAE WAS ATTACKED FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed on Tuesday that Iranian missiles and drones targeted the country for a second consecutive day, May 4 and May 5. Iran denied it. The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, Iran’s highest military command, stated: “The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have conducted no such operations in recent days.”
Then, in the same statement, Iran warned the UAE: “If any action is taken from UAE territory against our islands, ports, or coasts, we will respond with a crushing and regret-inducing response.”
Iran denied the attacks it carried out and threatened retaliation for attacks it insists it did not carry out — in the same document.
Iran also formally accused the UAE of being “one of the main American and Zionist bases — enemies of the Islamic world and the primary cause of insecurity in the region.” This is the language of strategic designation, not tactical accusation. Iran is telling its domestic and regional audience that the UAE is a legitimate target, and laying the groundwork for escalation.
The Institute for the Study of War confirmed in a May 5 special report that Iran is currently exploiting the ceasefire period to recover weapons buried under debris and reconstitute its missile and drone capabilities — specifically preparing for a potential resumption of full conflict.
WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING
Step back, and the picture is this.
The US and Israel struck Iran on 28 February. A ceasefire was declared on 8 April. Iran has attacked the UAE on at least two consecutive days since that ceasefire. Iran is simultaneously reconstituting its missile capability underground. Iran’s chief negotiator Ghalibaf has warned that Tehran has “prepared new battlefield options” and will fight to end the war-ceasefire-war cycle. Trump nearly ordered renewed strikes over the weekend before pulling back. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared Operation Epic Fury — the air campaign against Iran — officially “over.” And Trump is now claiming “great progress” toward a final deal, without providing a single detail.
The ceasefire is simultaneously still technically in effect (per Hegseth — “the ceasefire is not over”), functionally suspended (per the UAE Ministry of Defence — attacked two days running), exploited by Iran for rearmament (per ISW), and potentially close to a permanent resolution (per Trump, without evidence).
All of these things are being stated, simultaneously, by official sources.
The only party speaking with complete clarity is Iran: it denied the attacks, threatened the UAE, accused it of hosting US and Israeli forces, and warned it has prepared new battlefield options.
FOR TODAY
Schools remain on distance learning through Friday, 8 May, by the Ministry of Education directive. The situation will be reassessed on Friday, with extension possible.
UAE airspace remains partially closed under NOTAM A1722/26, effective through 11 May. Emirates is operating 96% of its global network within the designated corridor restrictions. All carriers have rebooking and refund flexibility in place.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the perpetrators of the UAE attacks as “malign state actors” — the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation confirmed indications of IRGC proxy involvement. The US travel advisory for the UAE remains at Level 3.
The cumulative toll: 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, 2,260 UAVs intercepted. 227 injured. 13 confirmed deaths.
THE EMIRATES WIRE VIEW
Iran’s denial and its threat were issued in the same document. That tells you everything you need to know about the strategic logic at work.
Iran is not trying to be believed. It is trying to establish a position: that the UAE is a legitimate military target, that any retaliation from UAE soil will be met with overwhelming force, and that Tehran — despite two months of US and Israeli strikes — retains the initiative in the Gulf. Ghalibaf’s warning of “new battlefield options” is not bluster. The ISW has confirmed Iran is rebuilding its missile stocks under the cover of the ceasefire it is simultaneously breaking.
For the UAE, the two consecutive days of attacks — the second of which Iran denies — represent a new and more dangerous phase. The first day could be framed as retaliation for Project Freedom. The second day, which came after Project Freedom was already being wound down, cannot be.
Trump’s response was stark. He posted on Truth Social: “Iran will be blown off the face of the earth if they continue attacking US ships.” The ceasefire is simultaneously still “not over” per Hegseth, and hanging by a single post on Truth Social.
There is one genuinely positive signal this morning. The pause on Project Freedom, combined with Trump’s “great progress” framing, suggests Pakistani-mediated talks may be moving faster than public statements indicate. Pakistan brokered the original ceasefire. Pakistan brokered the Project Freedom pause. If Pakistan is close to brokering a permanent agreement, the next 72 hours matter more than most.
Watch Friday. Schools reassessed. Watch the next 72 hours. Pakistan’s track record as a mediator is the only thing standing between “great progress” and another escalation.
The UAE. Clearly.
Emirates Wire — Wednesday Briefing, 6 May 2026.
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