UAE air defences intercept 165 ballistic, two cruise missiles, 541 drones since onset of Iranian attack

ABU DHABI, 1st March, 2026 (WAM) — The Ministry of Defence has announced that the UAE air force and air defence forces have so far dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 Iranian drones since the start of the Iranian attack.

The ministry said that on the morning of the second day of the attack, UAE air force and air defence forces destroyed 20 ballistic missiles, while eight missiles fell into the sea. They also destroyed two cruise missiles and 311 drones. However, 21 drones struck civilian targets. The ministry affirmed the capability of the UAE air force and air defence to address various threats.

It explained that since the beginning of the Iranian attack on 28th February, 2026, 165 ballistic missiles launched from Iran towards the UAE have been detected. Of these, 152 were destroyed, while 13 fell into sea waters. Two cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.

A total of 541 Iranian drones were detected, of which 506 were intercepted and destroyed, while 35 fell within the country, causing material damage. The incidents resulted in three fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi nationalities, and 58 minor injuries among Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese and Afghan nationals.

The ministry indicated that some debris fell in various areas of the country as a result of air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles and drones, leading to minor to moderate material damage to a number of civilian properties.

The ministry expressed its full readiness to address any threats and stressed that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors remains a top priority that cannot be compromised.