UAE destroys 'hostile' drones in its airspace

Abu Dhabi says it intercepted three drones with "hostile" intent –– the fourth similar incident in three weeks as tensions intensify with Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Britain warns in a travel advisory that "further attacks are very likely" in UAE.
Reuters

Britain warns in a travel advisory that "further attacks are very likely" in UAE.

The United Arab Emirates has intercepted and destroyed three drones that penetrated the Gulf country's airspace over unpopulated areas, the country's Defence Ministry said.

"MOD [Ministry of Defence] announces interception and destruction, away from populated areas, of three hostile drones that penetrated UAE airspace at dawn today," the ministry said on its official Twitter account on Wednesday.

"MOD confirms it is ready to deal with any threats and is taking all necessary measures to protect the state and its territory."

It is the fourth similar incident in three weeks as tensions with Yemen's Houthi rebels intensify.

The Gulf state has faced several attacks in the past few weeks including a missile attack on Monday during a visit by Israel's president. 

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for those attacks.

The attacks on the UAE, the region's commercial and tourism hub, are an escalation in the Yemen war, in which the Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia.

READ MORE: US to deploy warship, jets to help UAE thwart Houthi attacks

Loading...

'Further attacks likely'

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the government from the capital, Sanaa.

The United States said on Tuesday it is sending fighter jets to assist the UAE following the missile attacks.

The US State Department urged Americans last month to reconsider travel plans because of the threat of missile or drone strikes. 

Britain warned in a travel advisory on Wednesday that "further attacks are very likely."

READ MORE: US military launches interceptor missiles during Houthi attack on UAE

Iran, UAE ministers discuss Yemen, Israel

Also on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian discussed the Yemen crisis with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in a phone conversation, the state news agency IRNA reported.

During the call, they discussed bilateral and regional issues and reiterated the importance of improving ties, the report added.

Amirabdollahian also underlined that "the Zionist regime's presence is a threat to the regional security," in a reference to the normalisation of ties between Israel and some Gulf countries including the UAE.

Route 6