A possible drone attack sparked an explosion and struct three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi while another fire at the Abu Dhabi International Airport killed three people and injured six, on January 17, 2022.

Highlights

• Two dead people were identified as Indian nationals while one was from Pakistan.
• Though, Abu Dhabi police did not offer any suspects, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the.
• In past, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed several attacks but UAE officials later denied it.

Background

The incident took place in the backdrop of Yemen’s yearslong war and Emirati-flagged vessel found itself captured by the Houthis, recently.

What caused the explosion?

According to Abu Dhabi police, small flying objects were detected, possibly belonging to drones. They fell in two areas which may have caused the explosion and fire. The other blast, struck three petroleum transport tankers near a storage facility of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. in Musaffah area.

UAE-Yemen War

The UAE has been at war in Yemen since 2015. UAE was also a key member of a Saudi-led coalition which launched attacks against Iranian-backed Houthis and ousted internationally-backed government from power. Though UAE has reduced the number of troops it has on ground, but it continues to engage actively in war and support key militia against Houthis.