US embassy in UAE issues warning of missile drone attack

The UAE’s reputation as a safe haven and a hub for tourists has taken another blow after the US embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a warning of “reports of a possible missile or drone strike.” A US embassy spokesperson later told Reuters that the warning was issued against the backdrop of recent security incidents.

Abu Dhabi was hit with a series of missiles and drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have captured much of the country including the capital, Sanaa. Three foreign workers were killed on 17 January. Further attacks were launched earlier this month when Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, met with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on his first official visit to the UAE as the country’s head of state.

Abu Dhabi civil defence said it received a report of a fire early yesterday morning caused by a gas cylinder explosion in a building in a central residential area. It said there were no casualties, and asked the public to follow only official news sources and avoid spreading rumours.

READ: US to deploy warship, fighter jets to protect UAE from Houthis

“Specialized teams extinguished the fire, evacuated the building as a precaution and controlled the situation,” the civil defense authority said in a statement on state media.

The US embassy reacted to the explosion by issuing a warning to its citizens. Explaining its reasons, the US Mission to UAE said in its official Twitter account that it has “an obligation to inform U.S. citizens and personnel of potential threats.”

The U.S. Embassy has an obligation to inform U.S. citizens and personnel of potential threats. (1/4)

— US Mission to UAE (@USAinUAE) February 9, 2022

“Against the backdrop of recent security incidents, reports of audible and visible explosions in Abu Dhabi early this morning prompted the Embassy to issue a security alert to American citizens and personnel,” said the US Mission in Abu Dhabi.

With its participation in the war in Yemen, close proximity to the war-torn country, its glass towers, and an economy heavily dependent on foreign tourists and workers, the Emirates is particularly vulnerable to any escalation of violence with the Houthis.