UAE: More Than 1,500 Missiles and Drones Intercepted Since Start of Attacks

FILE - A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)
FILE - A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)
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UAE: More Than 1,500 Missiles and Drones Intercepted Since Start of Attacks

FILE - A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)
FILE - A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)

The UAE said its air defenses detected 17 ballistic missiles on Sunday -- destroying 16, while one fell into the sea -- and intercepted 113 of 117 drones detected, with four falling inside the country.

Since the start of the Iranian attacks, 238 ballistic missiles have been detected. Of these, 221 were destroyed, 15 fell into the sea and two landed within the country, the Ministry of Defense said.

A total of 1,422 Iranian drones have also been detected, of which 1,342 were intercepted, while 80 fell within the country’s territory. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed, it said.

The attacks resulted in four deaths among Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals, and 112 people sustained moderate to minor injuries, the ministry added.



Civil Aviation Authority: 3 Saudis Killed in Thursday's Attacks on Riyadh Airport

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Civil Aviation Authority: 3 Saudis Killed in Thursday's Attacks on Riyadh Airport

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said Friday that three of the Kingdom's nationals were killed in attacks the day before on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

"The attacks resulted in the martyrdom of three Saudi citizens," the General Authority of Civil Aviation said, adding the attacks targeted the airport's facilities and a plane belonging to national flag carrier Saudia.

The first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck the aircraft, the statement said.

It noted “injuries to a number of citizens and residents of different nationalities. Their injuries ranged from minor to serious.”

It also indicated that operational activities had returned to normal.


Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talks with Egyptian Counterpart, Arab League Chief

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah looks on alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah looks on alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talks with Egyptian Counterpart, Arab League Chief

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah looks on alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah looks on alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone calls on Thursday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy to discuss the latest attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Abdelatty condemned the attacks on Abha and King Khalid International airports, warning that assaults on Saudi territory threaten regional security and stability. He reaffirmed Egypt’s full solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for safeguarding its security, stability and territorial integrity.

The two ministers also discussed regional developments and the importance of continued coordination to promote security and stability.

Fahmy also condemned the continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, stressing that the Kingdom’s security is an integral part of Arab national security. The two sides discussed regional developments, strengthening the Arab League’s work and enhancing its role in addressing regional challenges.


UK, UN, Arab and Islamic Bodies Condemn Houthi Attacks on Abha and King Khalid Airports

The Abha International Airport. (SPA file)
The Abha International Airport. (SPA file)
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UK, UN, Arab and Islamic Bodies Condemn Houthi Attacks on Abha and King Khalid Airports

The Abha International Airport. (SPA file)
The Abha International Airport. (SPA file)

The UK, United Nations, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Palestine, Sudan, Al-Azhar, and the Arab Parliament have strongly condemned Houthi militia attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha and King Khalid airports, reaffirming their rejection of attacks on civilian infrastructure and calling for regional security and stability to be maintained.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) affirmed that the United Kingdom stands alongside Saudi Arabia in the face of reckless attacks by the Houthi militia.

Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric denounced the attacks and said during the daily press briefing that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law.

Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, the Palestinian Presidency, Sudan, Al-Azhar and the Arab Parliament also issued statements condemning the terrorist attacks against Saudi airports and civilian facilities.

They said the attacks are a flagrant violation of international law, threatening Saudi Arabia’s security and stability, and seek to undermine the security and stability of the entire region.

They reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia and called for an immediate halt to the attacks and respect for states' sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) had said that three people were killed and 36 injured in two separate attacks on its Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday.