UAE Shoots Down Houthi Ballistic Missile Amidst Israeli President’s Historic Visit To The Country

Dubai, Jan 31 (PTI) The UAE’s air defence forces on Monday intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi terrorist group towards it, the country’s Ministry of Defence said, amidst a historic visit by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog.

There were no casualties resulting from the attack and the fragments of the ballistic missile fell outside of populated areas, the ministry said in a statement to the country’s official WAM news agency.

“The UAE air defence forces and the Coalition Command had succeeded in destroying the missile launcher in Yemen after identifying locations of the sites,” it said.

In a tweet, the ministry said that the platform for ballistic missile launch at Al Jawf in Yemen was destroyed at 12.50 AM (local time). A video of the destruction was also shared.

The ministry also affirmed its “full readiness to deal with any threats,” adding that it will “take all necessary measures to protect the UAE from any attacks.”

It also called on the public to follow the news on the latest missile attack from the UAE’s official authorities.

Meanwhile, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said that the air traffic movement is normal and all flights are operating as usual as there was “no impact on air traffic”.

In a statement to WAM, the GCAA said that “there is no impact on flights and airports resulting from the interception of the ballistic missile launched by the Houthi terrorist militia on the country.”

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are important global aviation hubs in the region.

The GCAA also called on the public to refer to official sources for all information and updates.

The missile attack came hours after Israel’s President Herzog met Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In September 2020, Israel and the UAE normalised their relations in a US-brokered agreement with the Emirates becoming the first Gulf country to establish formal ties with the Jewish state, and the third Arab country ever to do so after Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, respectively.

Last month, in a historic visit, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited the UAE and met the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince.

Last week also, the UAE intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles that the Houthi terror group fired towards its capital Abu Dhabi.

On the morning of January 17, Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a fuel depot in Abu Dhabi and the city’s main airport, heightening tensions in the oil-exporting region.

They targeted the Musaffah ICAD 3 area and the new construction area at Abu Dhabi International Airport, both of which are civilian infrastructure.

The attacks, which led to the explosion of three petroleum tankers, killed two Indians and one Pakistani national and injured six other civilians.

The UN Security Council had strongly condemned the 'heinous' terror attacks in Abu Dhabi in which two Indians and a Pakistani civilian were killed and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

In a press statement issued by the 15-nation Council, the powerful UN organ condemned in the strongest terms the “heinous terrorist attacks” in Abu Dhabi on January 17, as well as in other sites in Saudi Arabia.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of the Houthi attacks and to the Governments of India and Pakistan, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” the statement said.

The Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

Days after the January 17 attack, the UAE government banned all flying operations of private drones and light sports aircraft in the Gulf country for a month.

According to the statement, the ban also encompasses air and sail spots.

The Houthi rebels have taken responsibility for several drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities in the past.

The UAE is part of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen fighting the Houthis.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)