UAE intercepts 165 missiles, 541 drones as three killed in Iranian attacks

2026-03-01 - 14:33

ABU DHABI — The UAE Ministry of Defence announced that the country’s air force and air defence forces have intercepted 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 Iranian drones since the start of the attacks on Feb. 28.In a statement, the ministry said that on the morning of the second day of the attacks, UAE forces destroyed 20 ballistic missiles, while eight missiles fell into the sea.They also intercepted and destroyed two cruise missiles and 311 drones. However, 21 drones struck civilian targets.Since the beginning of the attacks, 165 ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the UAE were detected.Of those, 152 were destroyed and 13 fell into sea waters.Two cruise missiles were detected and destroyed.A total of 541 Iranian drones were detected, with 506 intercepted and destroyed, while 35 fell within the country, causing material damage.The ministry said the incidents resulted in three fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi nationalities, and 58 minor injuries among Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese and Afghan nationals.It added that debris from intercepted ballistic missiles and drones fell in various areas, causing minor to moderate damage to civilian properties.The ministry affirmed the capability of the UAE’s air force and air defence systems to address various threats and expressed full readiness to confront any further attacks.It stressed that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors remains a top priority.