UAE intercepts missiles and drones amid Iranian attacks as West Asia conflict escalates
The UAE said its air defences intercepted most missiles and drones launched during Iranian attacks amid escalating tensions in West Asia. Authorities reported casualties among foreign nationals and reaffirmed readiness to defend the country against any security threats.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE said on Sunday that its air defences have detected 17 ballistic missiles, of which 16 were destroyed, while one missile fell into the sea.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that its air defences detected 117 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), of which 113 were intercepted while four UAVs fell within the country’s territory.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, UAE’s Ministry of Defence said, “Since the start of the Iranian attacks, 238 ballistic missiles have been detected. Of these, 221 were destroyed, 15 fell into the sea and two landed within the country. A total of 1,422 Iranian UAVs have also been detected, of which 1,342 were intercepted, while 80 fell within the country’s territory. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.”
“These attacks resulted in four deaths among Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals, and 112 people sustained moderate to minor injuries. The injured include nationals of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, the Comoros and Turkey,” it added.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence expressed its readiness to deal with any threats and said that it will respond firmly to any attempts to undermine the country’s security, ensuring the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguarding its national interests and capabilities.
On March 7, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that UAE places its security and the protection of all its people and visitors at the top of its priorities and expressed country’s readiness to tackle any threats.
In a statement shared on X, he added, “To all those who call the UAE home and guests in our beloved nation. The UAE places its security and the protection of all citizens, residents, and visitors at the very top of its priorities. With God’s grace, the UAE is fully prepared to confront these threats.”
He praised UAE’s armed forces, security services and all national institutions and teams working to keep the country safe.
He also lauded the awareness shown by the people of the UAE.
In the statement, the UAE President said, “I would also like to underscore my sincere gratitude for the awareness shown by our community of Emiratis and our resident brothers and sisters, partners in this nation, who have expressed their genuine love and loyalty to the UAE through both words and actions. In the UAE, everyone is Emirati through their love for this land and their contributions to it.”
“May God have mercy on the victims and grant the injured a speedy recovery. With God’s blessing, the UAE — the land of Zayed — will remain strong in its unity, steadfast in defending its sovereignty, and steadily advancing towards the future,” he added.
The latest conflict in West Asia began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on Saturday, aimed at degrading Tehran’s missile capabilities and broader military infrastructure.
The opening wave of the operation killed senior Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sweeping response from Iran in the form of drone and missile attacks targeting US assets, regional capitals and allied forces across West Asia.
