UAE air defences destroy 6 ballistic missiles and 125 Iranian drones

Defence systems thwart major missile and drone attacks in UAE

Last updated:
Abdulla Rasheed, Editor - Abu Dhabi
Debris of a missile intercepted by the UAE authorities.
Debris of a missile intercepted by the UAE authorities.
WAM

The Ministry of Defense announced that the UAE’s air defence systems today detected seven ballistic missiles, successfully intercepting and destroying six of them, while one missile landed within the country’s territory. The systems also detected 131 drones, of which 125 were intercepted, while six fell within the UAE.

In a statement, the Ministry said that since the beginning of the blatant Iranian aggression, a total of 196 ballistic missiles have been detected. Of these, 181 were destroyed, 13 fell into the sea, and two landed within the country. In addition, 1,072 Iranian drones were detected, with 1,001 successfully intercepted, while 71 fell within UAE territory. The defenses also detected and destroyed eight cruise missiles.

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These attacks resulted in three fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali, and Bangladeshi nationalities, and 94 minor injuries among individuals of Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian, and Turkish nationalities.

The Ministry of Defense affirmed that it remains fully prepared and ready to respond to any threats, and will decisively confront any attempts to undermine the country’s security, ensuring the protection of its sovereignty, stability, national interests, and capabilities.

Abdulla Rasheed
Abdulla RasheedEditor - Abu Dhabi
Abdullah Rashid Al Hammadi  is an accomplished Emirati journalist with over 45 years of experience in both Arabic and English media. He currently serves as the Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief fo Gulf News. Al Hammadi began his career in 1980 with Al Ittihad newspaper, where he rose through the ranks to hold key editorial positions, including Head of International News, Director of the Research Center, and Acting Managing Editor. A founding member of the UAE Journalists Association and a former board member, he is also affiliated with the General Federation of Arab Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists. Al Hammadi studied Information Systems Technology at the University of Virginia and completed journalism training with Reuters in Cairo and London. During his time in Washington, D.C., he reported for Alittihad  and became a member of the National Press Club. From 2000 to 2008, he wrote the widely read Dababees column, known for its critical take on social issues. Throughout his career, Al Hammadi has conducted high-profile interviews with prominent leaders including UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and key Arab figures such as the late Yasser Arafat and former presidents of Yemen and Egypt. He has reported on major historical events such as the Iran-Iraq war, the liberation of Kuwait, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. His work continues to shape and influence journalism in the UAE and the wider Arab world.
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