Following a deadly attack which killed two Indians in the United Arab Emirates last week, the Gulf country intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles over Abu Dhabi on Monday, 24 January, reported Bloomberg, quoting the UAE defence ministry.
According to report, the UAE defence ministry said that shrapnel from the interception fell over scattered areas of Abu Dhabi, however, no casualties have reported. The ministry added that it was “prepared to deal with any threats and is taking all necessary procedures to protect the country from attacks.”
UAE newspaper The National reported that flashes were seen in the sky over the capital around 4:15 AM (5:30 AM IST).
The local paper also reports that Saudi Arabia destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the city of Dhahran Al Janub early on Monday. Remnants of the missiles, according to The National, landed in the cities industrial zone damaging workshops and vehicles.
Yemen has been embroiled in a multilateral civil war since 2014 between the Houthis and the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi-led government forces, which are being backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The UAE had reduced its military presence in Yemen in 2019. It, however, continues to have significant influence in the civil war by pumping money into the Yemeni forces that it has armed and trained in the past.
The Houthis, who are supported and funded by Iran, have launched multiple cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia since the civil war began.
While the UAE has not been struck by the Houthis before, the latter have threatened the former about the possibility of an attack.
(With inputs from Bloomberg, The National)
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