UAE air defence intercepts 6 hostile drones in 48 hours

Ministry of Defence confirms drones originated from Iraqi territory

By Emirates247 Published: 2026-05-19T18:17:00+04:00 1 min read
Air defense forces succeeded in intercepting and neutralizing the hostile targets with the highest levels of readiness and efficiency, without recording any human casualties or impact on the safety of vital facilities.
Air defense forces succeeded in intercepting and neutralizing the hostile targets with the highest levels of readiness and efficiency, without recording any human casualties or impact on the safety of vital facilities.

Dubai: The Ministry of Defence announced that during the past 48 hours, UAE air defence systems have successfully detected and engaged six hostile drones that attempted to target civilian and vital areas in the country.

Air defence forces succeeded in intercepting and neutralizing the hostile targets with the highest levels of readiness and efficiency, without recording any human casualties or impact on the safety of vital facilities.

In the context of completing the investigations related to the brazen attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant on May 17, 2026, the results of technical tracking and monitoring confirmed that the three drones — two of which were successfully engaged, while the third struck an electrical generator outside the plant’s internal perimeter on that date — along with the drones intercepted later, all originated from Iraqi territory.

The Ministry of Defence affirmed that the United Arab Emirates reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and national security, in accordance with international laws and covenants.

The Ministry of Defence emphasized the full readiness of the armed forces to deal with any threats targeting the security of the state and its national capabilities.