Ministry of Defense: UAE’s air defenses successfully intercept 9 ballistic missiles, 6 cruise missiles, 148 drones

ABU DHABI, 2nd March, 2026 (WAM) — The Ministry of Defense announced that the UAE’s air defenses successfully intercepted today 9 ballistic missiles, 6 cruise missiles, and 148 drones.

The Ministry explained that since the beginning of the blatant Iranian aggression, 174 ballistic missiles launched toward the country have been detected, of which 161 were destroyed, while 13 fell into the sea. A total of 689 Iranian drones were also detected, with 645 intercepted, while 44 landed within the country’s territory. Additionally, 8 cruise missiles were detected and destroyed, causing some collateral damage. The incidents resulted in 3 fatalities and 68 minor injuries.

The Ministry affirmed that the sounds heard in various parts of the country are the result of air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter jets intercepting drones and cruise missiles. These interceptions led to minor to moderate material damage to a number of civilian properties.