UAE targeted by new drones and missiles despite Iranian president’s apology

The United Arab Emirates was targeted Saturday by new drones and missiles, leading to a brief suspension of operations at Dubai airport, despite the Iranian president's apology to neighboring countries for attacks that had targeted them.

Attacks took place Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the Emirates, whose authorities said they were targeted by 16 ballistic missiles and 121 drones.

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian had nevertheless apologized Saturday to neighboring countries for the Iranian strikes that have targeted them since the war began on Feb. 28 with the United States and Israel, and said they would no longer be attacked unless strikes were launched from those countries.

On Saturday, Emirati air defense systems intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones, while one missile fell into the sea and two drones landed on the ground, the UAE Ministry of Defense said in a statement on X.

Qatar also said it intercepted a missile attack. The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced it had destroyed three ballistic missiles heading toward Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts American troops, as well as 17 drones over the Shaybah oil field (southeast).

Kuwait also reported intercepting a drone on Saturday, and Jordan accused Iran of directly targeting strategic facilities in the kingdom, firing 119 missiles and drones in the week following the American-Israeli strikes that triggered a regional war.

Some attacks that have targeted Gulf countries since the beginning of the conflict have hit civilian infrastructure, while Iran claims it only targets American interests or bases.

The UAE has been the most-targeted country, with more than 221 ballistic missiles detected, of which 205 were destroyed, and 1,305 drones, of which 1,229 were intercepted, according to Emirati authorities.

On Saturday morning, an interception in Dubai caused a brief closure at the world's busiest airport for international traffic, which later announced a partial resumption of operations on X, with “some flights operating from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).”

A witness told AFP on Saturday morning that they saw an interception above the airport, describing a loud explosion followed by a cloud of smoke in the sky.

The Dubai government earlier reported on X "a minor incident resulting from falling debris after an interception," while denying “information circulating on social media regarding incidents at Dubai International Airport.”

In a statement since deleted from X, Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, had announced it was suspending all flights to and from Dubai until further notice.

The airline later said it had “resumed operations.”

Limited flights had resumed Monday from Dubai’s main airport.

Four employees were injured and one hall was damaged at Dubai airport on Feb. 28, the first day of the war.

The Iranian attacks also hit Abu Dhabi airport, the artificial island The Palm Jumeirah, and the luxury hotel Burj Al Arab, while drone debris sparked a fire at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday.