5/5/26: Iran Hits Critical UAE Facility, Prof Pape On Iran Escalation, Trump Courts Fetterman, Voting Rights Act Debate

Iran launched a significant attack on the UAE's Fujairah oil terminal, the country's only facility for exporting oil without using the Strait of Hormuz. The strike involved 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and four drones, with some hitting the target and causing fires and visible smoke. UAE air defenses, reportedly including Israeli-supplied Iron Dome systems, intercepted most incoming threats. Hosts Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti described this as dual-purpose: demonstrating Iran's retained missile and drone capabilities despite US efforts, while retaliating against the US naval blockade and "Project Freedom"—a US initiative mapping safe routes through minefields for commercial ships to bypass Iranian control of the strait. Only two US-linked vessels transited successfully; an Indian ship captain refused, citing company orders against the risk. Iran views the UAE as an Israeli extension, using the attack to signal resistance, divide Gulf states like Saudi Arabia from UAE, and assert dominance over the strait.