Abu Dhabi Fires: Two Indians Among Three Dead In Suspected Drone Attack. Houthis Own Responsibility
Abu Dhabi Blasts: Dubai’s Al-Arabiya News cited state agency WAM as it reported that the three fatalities include one Pakistani and two Indian nationals.
New Delhi: Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement on Monday said that it had carried out an attack on the United Arab Emirates after authorities reported two fires in the capital Abu Dhabi that were suspected to be caused by drones.
According to a report by Reuters, Abu Dhabi police informed that three fuel tanker trucks exploded in the industrial area of Musaffah near storage facilities of oil firm ADNOC, another fire broke out at a construction site at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
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News agency AFP reported officials as saying that three people died and six were injured in the Abu Dhabi petrol tank blast.
Dubai’s Al-Arabiya News cited state agency WAM as it reported that the three fatalities include one Pakistani and two Indian nationals. Indian envoy to UAE Sunjay Sudhir confirmed to news agency ANI that two Indian nationals were killed in the petrol tank blast. Their identities being ascertained, he said.
Meanwhile, according to WAM, six others were wounded with injuries ranging from light to medium.
Police Suspect Drone Attack
“Initial investigations found parts of a small plane that could possibly be a drone at both sites that could have caused the explosion and the fire,” the police had said in a statement on state news agency WAM.
The police stated there was no “significant damage” from the incidents and a full investigation has been launched.
The military spokesman of Yemen’s Houthi movement said that the group launched a military operation “deep in the UAE” and would announce details in coming hours, Reuters reported.
It is battling a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and including the UAE.
The UAE-backed pro-coalition forces have recently joined fighting against the Houthis in Yemen’s energy-producing regions of Shabwa and Marib, Reuters mentioned in its report.
While the UAE largely scaled down its military presence in Yemen in 2019, it continues to hold influence with Yemeni forces armed and trained by it.
Previously too, the Houthis launched cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and have threatened to attack the UAE in the past.