UAE air defence intercepts 165 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones since February 28, limiting casualties and damage nationwide.
Abu Dhabi: 1-03-2026 – 5:45PM: The UAE’s air defenses have so far intercepted 165 ballistic missiles, 2 cruise missiles, and 541 Iranian drones.
The Ministry of Defense announced that on the second day of the Iranian attack, the UAE Air Force and Air Defense Forces destroyed 20 ballistic missiles, with 8 falling into the sea. They also destroyed 2 cruise missiles and 311 drones, while 21 drones struck civilian targets. The Ministry emphasized the UAE Air Force and Air Defense Forces’ capability to handle various threats.
The Ministry explained that since the start of the Iranian attack on February 28, 2026, 165 ballistic missiles launched from Iran towards the UAE have been detected. Of these, 152 were destroyed, while 13 fell into the sea. Two cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed. Additionally, 541 Iranian drones were detected, 506 of which were intercepted and destroyed, while 35 crashed within UAE territory, causing material damage. These attacks resulted in three deaths of Pakistani, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi nationals, and 58 minor injuries of Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, and Afghan nationals.
The Ministry also noted that some debris fell in various parts of the country as a result of air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles and drones, causing minor to moderate material damage to several civilian properties. The Ministry stated that it is fully prepared to deal with any threats and emphasized that the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors is a top priority that cannot be compromised.
The Ministry urges the public to obtain information from official state sources and to avoid circulating rumors or unreliable information.
