Abu Dhabi, March 16 (IANS) Six nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have been killed and 142 residents of multiple nationalities have suffered minor to moderate injuries in the UAE amid the recent escalating regional tensions, the UAE's Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
Since the start of what the Ministry described as Iranian attacks, the UAE's air defence systems have intercepted 298 ballistic missiles, 1,606 drones, and 15 cruise missiles, the Ministry said in a statement.
It said the air defence systems intercepted four ballistic missiles and six drones launched toward the country on Sunday alone, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier on Sunday, authorities in Dubai confirmed that loud explosions heard in the Marina and Al Sufouh areas were the result of air defence interceptions.
In Abu Dhabi, emergency teams contained a fire caused by a drone strike at the Ruwais Industrial Complex, with no injuries reported, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, a fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industries Zone following another interception, resulting in minor injuries to a Jordanian national.
The development came amid heightened regional tensions after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran starting from February 28, to which Iran and Iran-aligned groups responded with attacks on Israeli and US interests across the Middle East.
On Sunday, pan-Arab news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed published parts of its interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who said Tehran has information the US and Israel are launching attacks from certain locations against Arab states in the West Asia region.
--IANS
int/khz
