Middle East
Flag of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with the logo of the Emirati defense ministry. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The airspace over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is “free of any air threats,” with no attacks launched from Iran in recent hours, Abu Dhabi’s defense ministry said on Thursday, adding that it had intercepted nearly 2,900 aerial threats targeting its territory over the course of the 39-day Iran war, which have killed more than a dozen people and injured over 220 others.
In a statement, the ministry confirmed that Emirati airspace had been “free of any air threats in recent hours,” noting that on Thursday its air defense systems “did not detect any ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, or [unmanned aerial vehicles] UAVs launched from Iran.”
Since the onset of “the blatant Iranian attacks” in late February, “UAE air defenses have engaged a total of 537 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles, and 2,256 UAVs,” the ministry added.
It noted that the total death toll from the Iranian assaults stands at 13, including two Emirati military personnel, one Moroccan civilian contractor, and 10 other civilians. A further 224 people have been injured, involving individuals of various nationalities.
The ministry further affirmed its “full readiness to address any threats and to respond firmly to any attempts aimed at undermining the UAE’s security,” stressing its commitment to protecting “the country’s sovereignty, stability, and national interests.”
The US and Israel launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran on February 28, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reporting on Tuesday that the operation - dubbed Operation Epic Fury - involved strikes on more than 13,000 targets across Iran, focusing on sites deemed to “pose an imminent threat.”
CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper stated in late March that the operation aims to “eliminate Iran’s ability to project power in meaningful ways beyond its borders.”
In response, Tehran has carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The Emirati defense ministry’s announcement on Thursday comes a day after it reported that Iranian attacks recorded since a Pakistan-brokered, two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on Tuesday had reached “17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones,” adding that its air defense systems successfully intercepted them.
Beyond its borders, the UAE’s consulate in the Kurdistan Region came under at least two “cowardly attacks” by Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups - assaults that Erbil condemned as “subversive,” urging the federal government in Baghdad to shoulder its responsibility and rein in those responsible.
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