Serdar Dincel
04 March 2026•Update: 04 March 2026
ISTANBUL
The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday that Iranian attacks on the Gulf country have killed three people and injured 78 others since Saturday.
“Those killed included one Bangladeshi, one Pakistani, and one Nepali nationals,” the UAE Defense Ministry said in a statement released on the US social media company X.
The ministry said air defenses "successfully dealt with three ballistic missiles" on Wednesday and detected 129 drones, intercepting 121 of them, while eight fell within the country’s territory.
Since the start of Iranian attacks, 189 ballistic missiles were detected, of which 175 were destroyed, 13 fell into the sea, and one fell on its territory, it added.
The ministry said 941 Iranian drones were fired toward the UAE territory, 876 of which were intercepted, while 65 fell inside the country.
“Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed," it said, adding that the attacks caused "some collateral damage."
The ministry said explosions heard in various areas across the country were the result of interception operations by the country’s air defense systems.
It condemned the “blatant” missile and drone attacks on the Gulf country, saying they represent a "clear violation of national sovereignty and international law."
The ministry said the UAE reserves the right to respond to the escalation and take all necessary steps to protect its territory and people.
Regional tensions have escalated when the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Saturday, killing around 800 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets.
