Iran strikes Fujairah Oil Industry Zone — targeting the world's largest Hormuz bypass fuel hub

On Day 17, Iran struck the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone — the Middle East's largest commercial storage capacity for refined petroleum products, located on the Gulf of Oman coast of the UAE, outside the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic significance of the Fujairah strike is exceptional: as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since February 28, Fujairah has emerged as the primary alternative routing hub for vessels seeking to trade Gulf energy outside the strait. Fujairah's position outside Hormuz made it the de facto bypass valve for global oil supply — and Iran has now struck it directly. The attack extends Iran's energy disruption strategy from blocking Hormuz to also targeting the Hormuz bypass infrastructure, potentially eliminating the main alternative supply route. Civil defence teams controlled the fire with no immediate casualties reported. The Fujairah strike came on the same Day 17 that also saw Iranian drones hit Dubai International Airport's fuel tanks and Iranian missiles kill a Palestinian civilian in Abu Dhabi.