Sheikh Zayed Bridge
Abu Dhabi landmark bridge by Zaha Hadid on Iran's Fars News retaliation list.
Last refreshed: 4 April 2026
Why is the Sheikh Zayed Bridge on Iran's retaliation list?
Latest on Sheikh Zayed Bridge
- Is the Sheikh Zayed Bridge under threat from Iran?
- Yes. It was named on a list of eight Gulf bridge targets published by IRGC-aligned Fars News in April 2026.Source: iran-conflict-2026 update 58
- Who designed the Sheikh Zayed Bridge?
- Zaha Hadid. It was completed in 2010 and is an architectural landmark in Abu Dhabi.Source: Public record
Background
The Sheikh Zayed Bridge is an architectural landmark in Abu Dhabi, designed by Zaha Hadid and completed in 2010. Its wave-form arch structure is one of the UAE's most recognisable civil engineering works. In April 2026, Fars News, the IRGC-aligned Iranian news agency, named it among eight Gulf bridges targeted for potential Iranian retaliation following the US strike on the B1 bridge in Karaj.
The bridge crosses the Abu Dhabi Channel and connects Abu Dhabi island to the mainland. As a primary arterial crossing for the capital, its closure or destruction would severely disrupt movement in and out of Abu Dhabi city. The naming of an architecturally iconic civilian structure marks a shift in Iran's public signalling towards symbolic as well as functional targeting.
The UAE Armed Forces recorded their first military fatalities of the conflict on 3 April 2026, heightening Abu Dhabi's threat calculus. Placing the Sheikh Zayed Bridge on a retaliation list adds reputational and civilian risk to the UAE's already significant operational exposure.
