2 Indian Nationals Among 3 Killed in Attack Claimed By Houthi Rebels in UAE

3 fuel trucks have exploded near Abu Dhabi airport, killing 3 people. 

(Photo: Twitter/@NawiedJabarkhyl)

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

At least three people were killed and six other injured after the Houthi movement in Yemen, known as the Ansar Allah, announced on Monday, 17 January, that it had organised an attack on the United Arab Emirates after the latter's administration reported two fires in Abu Dhabi, possibly ignited by drone strikes, AFP reported.

Of the three people killed, one was a Pakistani national, while the other two were Indian nationals, all of whom worked at oil giant ADNOC and died as three petrol tanks exploded near a storage facility.

The Indian embassy in the UAE is reportedly trying to get confirmation regarding the incidents and their details.

Six others were wounded with light-to-medium level injuries, state news agency WAM reported.

The Abu Dhabi police also said that three fuel tanker trucks had exploded in Musaffah, near oil storage facilities. It also reported that a fire broke out at a construction site at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said in a statement that international law had been violated by what he called a "terrorist attack."

"We condemn Houthi militia's targeting of civilian areas& facilities on UAE soil today. We reiterate that those responsible for this unlawful targeting of our country will be held accountable", he added.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

A spokesperson of Ansar Allah, however, stated that the movement had launched a military operation in the UAE. The details of the operation would be announced in a few hours, he added.

Later, Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said that they had "carried out... a successful military operation" against "important and sensitive Emirati sites and installations" using both ballistic missiles and drones.

Meanwhile, the police said that "initial investigations found parts of a small plane that could possibly be a drone at both sites that could have caused the explosion and the fire," WAM added.

The Yemeni Civil War

Yemen has been embroiled in a multilateral civil war since 2014 between the Houthis and the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi-led government forces, which are being backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The UAE had reduced its military presence in Yemen in 2019.

It, however, continues to have significant influence in the civil war by pumping money into the Yemeni forces that it has armed and trained in the past.

The Houthis, who are supported and funded by Iran, have launched multiple cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia since the civil war began.

While the UAE has not been struck by the Houthis before, the latter have threatened the former about the possibility of an attack.

The Yemeni Civil War is widely perceived as a proxy war between the UAE-backed Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two heavyweights of the West Asia region.

(With inputs from AFP & Reuters)