UAE intercepts Iranian missiles and drones in deadly attacks

The UAE’s air defenses engaged 19 ballistic missiles and 26 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran on Thursday, the official WAM news agency reported.

Since the start of these attacks, the UAE has intercepted a total of 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and 2,038 UAVs, WAM said.

The latest strikes killed two members of the UAE armed forces while performing their national duties, along with a Moroccan civilian contracted by the military. Nine other people of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, and Indian nationalities were also killed.

Authorities said 191 people were injured in the attacks, with wounds ranging from minor to severe. Those injured included citizens from the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkey, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden, and Tunisia.

The UAE has repeatedly condemned the missile and drone attacks, describing them as a threat to regional stability. The country has strengthened its air defense systems in response to repeated cross-border attacks.

Iranian authorities did not immediately comment on the reported strikes. The UAE’s geographic location on the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Persian Gulf, has made it a strategic site for regional defense and trade, heightening international attention to these incidents.