UAE affirms its right to retaliate against Houthi attacks

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has strongly condemned the Houthi terrorist attacks that targeted civil installations and areas in the country and reaffirmed this sinful targeting will not go unpunished.

“The UAE reserves its right to retaliate to these terrorist attacks and this sinful criminal escalation, describing these attacks as a heinous crime committed by the Houthi militia in violation of international and humanitarian laws," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement.

The ministry said that this terrorist militia continues its crimes without deterrence in an effort to promote terrorism and chaos in the region to achieve its illegal objectives.

The ministry called on the international community to condemn and totally reject these terrorist acts targeting civilians and civil installations. The ministry expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this criminal attack and wished the families of the injured a speedy recovery.

Two Indians and one Pakistani national have been killed while six others were injured in the fire that broke out in Abu Dhabi on Monday morning, leading to the explosion of three petroleum tankers in ICAD 3, Mussafah, near ADNOC’s storage tanks, Abu Dhabi Police announced, reported Emirates News Agency WAM.

The capital’s police have also confirmed they managed to control the fire that broke out in ICAD 3 near ADNOC’s storage tanks.

UAE authorities are dealing transparently and responsibly with the sinful Houthi attacks against some civil instalments in Abu Dhabi, a top UAE official wrote through his Twitter account.

Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President, said: “The concerned authorities in the UAE are dealing with transparency and responsibility towards the sinful Houthi attack on some civilian installations in Abu Dhabi.”

“The terrorist militias’ tampering with stability in the region is too weak to affect the state of security that we enjoy, and the reckless and absurd militias will unquestionably disappear and fall as the inevitable fate,” he added in his tweets.

ADNOC statement

In a statement Adnoc addressed the incident and said, "At approximately 10am this morning, an incident occurred at our Mussafah Fuel Depot in Abu Dhabi which resulted in the outbreak of a fire.

Emergency response teams, including civil defence, fire and ambulance responders as well as an ADNOC emergency response team quickly attended the scene, and the fire was brought under control and extinguished.

ADNOC is deeply saddened to confirm that three colleagues have died.

A further six colleagues were injured and received immediate specialist medical care.

Professional support teams are supporting the families of all those who have been impacted.

At this time, the entire ADNOC family extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of our colleagues who died this morning.

We are working closely with the relevant authorities to determine the exact cause and a detailed investigation has commenced."

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain condemn attacks

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on Monday strongly condemned the cowardly terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on UAE's civilians and civil installations.

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom reiterates its full stand with the UAE in the face of everything that threatens its security and stability.

The ministry said the terrorist act which was launched by the terrorist Houthi militia reaffirms its danger and threat to security, peace and stability in the region and the world.

Saudi Arabia stressed that, through its leadership of the Coalition of the Legitimacy in Yemen, it will continue to confront all terrorist attempts and practices of the Houthi militia.

The ministry expressed Saudi Arabia's sincere condolences and deepest sympathy with the families of the victims and to the government and people of UAE, as it wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the terrorist attack is a violation of international humanitarian and all international laws, as it confirmed its support to the UAE in all the measures that it will take to confront these sabotage acts.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received a telephone call from Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who voiced Bahrain’s strong condemnation of the Houthi terrorist attacks on civil installations in the UAE. Al Zayani offered condolences to the UAE on the victims of the cowardly terrorist act and expressed his wishes of a swift recovery for the injured.

He reaffirmed Bahrain’s full solidarity and stand with the UAE in the face of whatever threatens its security and stability. Al Zayani voiced the Kingdom’s full support to the UAE in all the measures it will take to confront these sabotage acts.

Qatar and Oman condemn attacks

Qatar has vehemently condemned the terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on UAE civil facilities that left innocent people dead and injured.

“Targeting civil installations and vital facilities is a terrorist act that contradicts all international norms and laws,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued on Monday.

The ministry expressed its condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, Oman voiced its solidarity with the UAE and its support to the measures it takes to safeguard its security and stability.

The Sultanate condemned the attacks that targeted the UAE and led to the killing and injuring a number of civilians. Oman also reaffirmed its firmly established stance against terrorism.

Kuwait 'firmly stands alongside the UAE'

Kuwait has condemned in the strongest terms the cowardly terrorist drone attack.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said the attack is a “deliberate attempt” by the Houthis to violate the basic principles of international laws and conventions.

“Kuwait firmly stands alongside the UAE and backs all measures the Gulf Arab state takes to protect its security and stability,” the statement added.

US denounces terror attack

Sheikh Abdullah also spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken affirmed the US’ condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack of the terrorist Houthi militia on civil areas and facilities in the UAE.

He also expressed his condolences to the UAE over the victims of this terrorist act and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

Attacks against international law: UN

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres condemned the Houthi militia attack

The UN spokesman said in Monday’s daily briefing that such attacks are prohibited by international humanitarian law.

Abdullah receives call from Egypt foreign minister

Sheikh Abdullah also received a phone call from Sameh Shoukri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

During the phone call, the Egyptian Foreign Minister expressed Egypt’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack by the terrorist Houthi militia.

He affirmed Egypt’s condemnation of any terrorist act committed by the Houthi militia to target the security, stability and safety of the UAE and its citizens, and its support for all measures taken by the the UAE to deal with any terrorist act targeting its territories and security.

The Egyptian top diplomat underlined Egypt’s firm position in supporting the security and stability of the United Arab Emirates and the close link between Egyptian national security and the security of the UAE.

Shoukri also emphasised the close fraternal relations that bind the leadership and peoples of the two nations. He offered his condolences to the UAE over the victims of this cowardly terrorist act, expressing his wishes for a speedy recovery to all the injured.

Mohamed receives call from Jordan's King Abdullah

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received a call from Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who condemned the Houthi attacks.

King Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s solidarity with the UAE in the face of all acts that threaten its security and stability, emphasising that the UAE’s security is part of Jordan’s security.

King Abdullah expressed his condolences on the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Sheikh Mohammed thanked King Abdullah for his stance towards the UAE  and asked Allah the Almighty to bless Jordan and its people.

Morocco issues statement

Morocco strongly condemned, on Monday, the heinous attack perpetrated by the Houthi militia which targeted civil facilities in UAE.

The Kingdom expressed its full solidarity with the UAE in defending its security and safety of its citizens, said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

Arab Parliament condemns attacks

The Arab Parliament has strongly condemned the terrorist Houthi militia’s launch of booby-trapped drones towards Abu Dhabi, UAE, killing three civilians and injuring others.

In a statement issued today, the Arab Parliament reiterated that the attack represents a cowardly terrorist aggression, a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and all international laws, and a blatant attack on the sovereignty of the UAE. The hostile attack also demonstrates the insistence of the terrorist Houthi militias to continue their cowardly criminal behavior, said the statement.

The Arab Parliament stressed its support for the UAE and all measures it will take to confront these cowardly sabotage acts, calling on the international community to take firm steps against these militias whose criminal acts confirm that they are a terrorist organisation that poses a serious threat to the security and stability of the region.

Pakistan strongly condemns attacks

Pakistan has strongly condemned the Houthi militia terrorist attack in the UAE on Monday.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack on civilian areas carried out by the Houthis in Abu Dhabi that claimed several lives, including one Pakistani national. We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” said a spokesperson of the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Such attacks violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UAE and pose a grave threat to the regional peace and security. Pakistan calls for their immediate cessation. Pakistan stands in solidarity with the brotherly people and government of the United Arab Emirates in the face of this wanton act of terrorism,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Countries around world issue statements of support for UAE

The US, UK, France and Greece were among other countries to make calls and statements condemning the Houthi terrorist attack and in support of the UAE.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: "Our commitment to the security of the UAE is unwavering and we stand beside our Emirati partners against all threats to their territory."

UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss tweeted: "I condemn in the strongest terms the Houthi-claimed terrorist attacks on the United Arab Emirates."

"These attacks threaten the security of the United Arab Emirates and regional stability," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

"France expresses its support for the UAE in the face of these attacks," he added.

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack in a phone call with Sheikh Adbullah.

Minor fire in construction area

According to the Emirates News Agency, a minor fire also broke out in the new construction area of Abu Dhabi International Airport. Preliminary investigations suggest that the cause of the fires are small flying objects, possibly belonging to drones, that fell in the two areas. Teams from the competent authorities were dispatched.

The competent authorities have launched an extensive investigation into the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding it.