The United Arab Emirates said late on Wednesday that it intercepted three drones that entered its airspace over unpopulated areas earlier in the day, in the latest attack on the Persian Gulf trade and tourism hub in recent weeks. .
The first three assaults, including a missile attack on Monday during a visit by Israel’s president, were launched by Iran-aligned Houthi militants from Yemen as part of an escalation of hostilities with a Saudi-led military coalition. which includes the UAE .
The Houthis have not announced a new operation.
Wednesday’s drone attack was claimed by the little-known “True Promise Brigades,” citing UAE meddling in Yemen and Iraq as justification, according to the SITE Intelligence Group , which tracks militant websites.
The only other militant action claimed by the group came in January 2021, when it said it had launched a drone against Saudi Arabia, which is engaged in several indirect conflicts with rival Iran, including Yemen.
It is unclear if the group, unknown to Iraqi intelligence or security officials, is actually active and capable of carrying out such attacks, or if it is a front for Iranian-allied militias.
The Emirati Defense Ministry said it is “prepared to deal with any threat” and is taking “all necessary measures” to protect the country, which prides itself on being a safe commercial mecca.
On Tuesday, the United States said it was sending warplanes to help the UAE after the strikes, one of which targeted a base housing US forces and followed a January 17 action that ended the lives of three people in Abu Dhabi.