The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence has disclosed that the country’s air defence systems intercepted multiple aerial threats launched from Iran as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Saturday, the ministry said that the United Arab Emirates air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran.
The ministry said the interceptions represent the latest wave of attacks amid what it described as “the onsets of the blatant Iranian aggression,” noting that the country’s defence forces have repeatedly activated their air defence systems to neutralise incoming threats.
Providing a broader overview of the attacks so far, the ministry disclosed that since the beginning of the hostilities, UAE air defences have intercepted 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and about 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran.
The figures point to what authorities described as a sustained barrage of aerial projectiles and drones targeting the Gulf nation over time.
The ministry also confirmed that the attacks have resulted in casualties involving several nationalities living and working in the country.
According to the statement, six people were killed, including nationals of the UAE, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It added that 141 people sustained minor to moderate injuries during the attacks.
Those injured include nationals from multiple countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
However, the ministry did not specify the exact locations where the fatalities and injuries occurred or the individual incidents responsible for the casualties.
Reaffirming its defence posture, the UAE said its armed forces remain on high alert and are prepared to respond to any further threats targeting the country’s territory.
“The Ministry of Defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats,” the statement said, adding that the military would firmly confront any attempts to undermine the country’s sovereignty, security and stability.
Meanwhile, the regional tension has also drawn diplomatic reactions. The government of Qatar recently sent another formal complaint to the United Nations and the United Nations Security Council over what it described as repeated Iranian military aggression.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, the country confirmed that it had submitted its eighth letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and to the President of the Security Council for March, Michael Waltz.
The communication, delivered by Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, accused Iran of violating Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to the Qatari government, the letter was intended to alert the United Nations to what it described as Iranian aggression and its broader security implications for the region.
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