ISTANBUL

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Friday that its air forces engaged a new wave of Iranian attacks, including 27 drones and seven ballistic missiles.

This brings the total to 1,567 Iranian drones and 285 ballistic missiles, according to the UAE Defense Ministry on the US social media company X.

The air forces also intercepted 15 Iranian cruise missiles since the start of the attacks, the ministry added.

Since Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 -- killing some 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei -- hostilities have escalated.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.