Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Sunday that the country’s air force and air defence forces have successfully intercepted and destroyed 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones launched by Iran.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said 132 of the 137 missiles were destroyed, while five fell into the sea. Of the 209 drones detected, 195 were intercepted, and 14 landed within the country’s territory and waters, causing limited collateral damage.
Some debris fell in scattered areas, resulting in minor material damage to civilian facilities, the ministry said, adding that authorities had taken necessary measures to ensure public safety and secure affected sites, reports Xinhua news agency.
“The authorities in Abu Dhabi are dealing with an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that targeted Zayed International Airport, where the interception operation led to the fall of shrapnel, resulting in one death of Asian nationality and 7 injuries,” Abu Dhabi Airports said in an official statement.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said it had activated contingency plans to manage the impact of the attack and ensure the aviation sector continued operation.
About 20,200 travellers have been impacted by the flight rescheduling, with temporary lodging, meals and rebooking arrangements provided, the GCAA said.
Earlier Saturday, a fire broke out in a building on Dubai’s landmark Palm Jumeirah, which is believed to have been caused by falling Iranian missile debris.
Earlier in the evening, videos circulating on social media showed a dense column of black smoke rising from the top of the structure, while several loud explosions were reported in the area.
Dubai Civil Defence said four people were injured in an explosion in the Palm Jumeirah area.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state media confirmed Sunday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli attacks. The Iranian government announced a 40-day mourning period after the report of the leader’s death.
Four relatives of Khamenei, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were also killed in the US-Israeli strikes, reported Iran’s Fars News Agency, citing sources.
