Live updates: Follow the latest news on the Iran war
The UAE intercepted 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones launched from Iran on Thursday, the Defence Ministry said.
Since the start of the Iranian attacks, UAE air defences have engaged 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles and 2,038 drones.
It comes after an intercepted missile caused minor damage near the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi on Thursday in an Iranian attack that caused no injuries.
The UAE has called on the UN Security Council to take immediate action to ensure safe navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz. In a letter sent on Tuesday, UAE ambassador Mohamed Abushahab called for the Security Council to demand an immediate end to Iran’s attacks and obstruction of maritime navigation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it clear, though, that Iranians living in the UAE are valued and respected members of the community.
The ministry's statement sought to reaffirm the UAE’s "commitment to fostering a safe and stable environment based on the rule of law, ensuring the protection of the rights of all residents, and reflecting its enduring values of tolerance and coexistence".
State news agency Wam also said the statement sought to address inaccurate media claims about the residency status of Iranians in the country.
“The UAE reassures residents that its institutional approach is guided by well-established procedures and frameworks that safeguard the safety and well-being of all members of society, without exception,” the statement said.
President Sheikh Mohamed on Thursday discussed developments in the region with US President Donald Trump, shortly before the American firebrand said the US military had nearly met its objectives in the war.
“We are going to finish the job. And we’re going to finish it very fast. We’re getting very close,” he said in a televised address to the US public.
Since the war began, attacks in the UAE have resulted in the martyrdom of two military personnel and a Moroccan civilian contracted by the Armed Forces, as well as eight fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian and Indian nationalities.
A total of 191 people have been injured. They included citizens of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkey, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden and Tunisia.
The UAE has faced daily missile and drone attacks from Iran since the war broke out. Iran has attacked the Emirates and other Gulf states in response to strikes launched by the US and Israel on February 28.
The UAE has consistently called for a halt to military escalation and has stressed the need for diplomacy to secure a solution to the hostilities.
