Three killed, 112 injured in UAE since start of missile and drone attacks

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones on Saturday as part of a new wave of attacks targeting the country, the Ministry of Defence said.

According to the ministry, air defences detected 16 ballistic missiles on March 7, destroying 15 of them, while one missile fell into the sea. Authorities also detected 121 drones, of which 119 were intercepted, while two fell within the UAE’s territory.

Since the start of the Iranian attacks, the UAE has detected 221 ballistic missiles, destroying 205 of them, while 14 fell into the sea and two landed inside the country.

The ministry said 1,305 drones had also been detected since the beginning of the attacks, with 1,229 intercepted and 76 falling within UAE territory. In addition, eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed.

The attacks have resulted in three fatalities, nationals of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and 112 minor injuries involving individuals from multiple nationalities including Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian and Turkish.

The Ministry of Defence said it remains fully prepared to confront any threats, stressing that the armed forces are ready to respond decisively to any actions that threaten the country’s security, sovereignty and stability while protecting national interests and assets.