The UAE’s emergency management authority has announced a change to how missile warning alerts sound during overnight hours, softening the alarm tone to reduce disruption while keeping the system fully active.
Between 10:30pm and 9am, both the initial threat warning and the subsequent all-clear will be delivered using a standard text message tone — a quieter alternative to the loud alert that currently accompanies daytime warnings. During daylight hours, from 9am to 10:30pm, the loud tone will still accompany the first alert, with a standard chime following once a threat has been neutralized.
“The system will remain fully operational to ensure public security alerts,” the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said on Monday, adding that the public should continue to follow official guidance, including taking shelter when instructed.
The alerts are delivered via cell broadcast technology, which pushes messages through mobile network towers to every connected device in a targeted area — regardless of whether the phone is locally registered. The system bypasses silent mode, meaning tourists and visitors receive the warnings alongside residents. Alerts are geographically targeted, so only those in affected areas are notified.
Since Iran began its attacks on the UAE, air defenses have intercepted 233 ballistic missiles, 1,359 drones, and eight cruise missiles. Four people have been killed and more than 100 injured. UAE authorities declared a “state of defence” on Sunday, with the Foreign Ministry describing the attacks as a “direct threat” to national security and stability, and a violation of international law.
Those who receive an alert while driving are advised to proceed to their destination and find shelter there. Residents and visitors are also urged to stay away from windows and avoid open spaces during active alerts, as debris from intercepted projectiles poses its own hazard.
Dr Hamad Al Shamsi, the country’s Attorney General, has cautioned against filming or sharing footage of the attacks, warning that doing so risks spreading panic, distorting public perception of the situation, and in some cases, could result in prosecution.
