Iranian missile and drone strikes across the United Arab Emirates over the past two days have left three people dead and 58 others injured, including an Indian national, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The Ministry of Defence said it intercepted 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152 while 13 fell into the sea. Authorities also neutralised two cruise missiles and 541 Iranian drones, of which 506 were shot down before reaching their targets.
According to an official statement, the 58 injured individuals sustained minor injuries and include citizens and residents of multiple nationalities — Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese and Afghan expatriates.
Indian national safe, embassy confirms
The Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi stated in a social media post that it is aware of the injury to the Indian national and is in touch with hospital authorities.
“The Indian national is out of danger. We are rendering all possible assistance,” the embassy said, reassuring the Indian community in the UAE.
The development has raised concerns among Indian expatriates, a significant population in the Gulf nation, though authorities have maintained that the situation remains under control.
Diplomatic missions on alert
The United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate in Dubai have instructed their staff to continue sheltering in place until further notice. “We recommend all Americans in the UAE do the same,” the advisory stated.
The strikes come after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a coordinated US-Israeli airstrike on Tehran. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states.
The escalation has heightened tensions across West Asia, with global leaders closely monitoring the unfolding developments.