Australian facilities damaged in Iranian attack on Middle East air base

Iran has launched an attack on an air base in the Middle East where Australian soldiers are stationed, starting a fire that damaged Australian medical and accommodation facilities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that an Iranian projectile hit a road just outside the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates about 9:15am AEDT today.

It is not clear if it was a missile or drone strike, but Mr Albanese said it started a fire, which caused "minor damage" to an accommodation block and medical facility.

"I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," Mr Albanese 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."

More than 100 Australian military personnel are based at Al Minhad, which also hosts British and a small number of United States personnel.

While the base is owned by the UAE, Australia uses it as its primary military, logistics, surveillance and training hub in the Middle East.

It has been an operational hub for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 2003, but the Australian presence was scaled down following the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

ADF personnel travelling in and out of the broader region often arrive and depart from Al Minhad.

The ABC has been told that the Wedgetail aircraft deployed to the Middle East last week by the government was not at the base when the projectile landed.

Defence has flagged it might consider changes at Al Minhad to reflect the ongoing threat.

"Defence’s focus is on ensuring the safety and security of our people and we will continue to revise force protection measures as the situation in the Middle East evolves," it said in a statement on the incident.

Defence minister Richard Marles said the safety of ADF personnel deployed to the region is top of mind.

"The safety and security of the men and women who bravely wear our nation’s uniform is always our first priority, and I want to reassure people that no Australians were injured in this incident," he said.

Base struck in early days of conflict

It is the second time that the base has been targeted during the war, with an Iranian drone strike hitting the facility in the first few days of the conflict.

That strike caused no damage to Australian facilities.

In response to a question on whether the Al Minhad Air Base was being targeted by Iran, Mr Albanese said: "The Iranian regime is engaging in random attacks right across the region. We know that is the case."

The UAE has been a target for heavy bombardment from Iran throughout the conflict, with the country's defence ministry estimating nearly 1,700 drones and missiles targeted the country in the first week of the war.

It is estimated 90 per cent were intercepted before reaching their target.

Al Minhad is one of a number of Western military bases within the UAE.

The US shares the Al Dhafra Air Base with the UAE, located south of Abu Dhabi, which defence experts say is a critical facility for American forces in the region.

Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson said the opposition is yet to be briefed, but is relieved no Australian personnel were injured. 

"The attack on Australian facilities at Al Minhad is another reminder that the Islamic Republic regime in Iran is no friend of Australia," Senator Paterson said.

"This is why the Coalition supports the deployment of the E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to help defend partners like the UAE who are being targeted by Iran, despite not participating in offensive operations.

"The government must ensure that it is providing all the resources and support necessary to protect the safety of our service men and women on this important operation."