© NASA/NOAA/AFP Handout
January 24, 2022 Supporters of Yemen's Huthi rebels march in the capital Sanaa carrying a mock rocket on January 21
January 24, 2022 Supporters of Yemen's Huthi rebels march in the capital Sanaa carrying a mock rocket on January 21
The attack on the UAE, a week after the Iran-backed rebels launched a deadly assault on Abu Dhabi, came as two people were wounded by a missile fired into southern Saudi Arabia, where another projectile was also destroyed.
Nobody was hurt in the attack on the United Arab Emirates, where witnesses saw bright flashes arcing across the night sky in the early hours, before scattering debris over Abu Dhabi.
"The attack did not result in any casualties, while the remnants of the intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles fell in separate areas around the emirate of Abu Dhabi," the UAE's defence ministry said.
The UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government in its fight against the Huthis, in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
The Huthis appeared to claim the latest attacks when spokesperson Mohammed Abulsalam said he would reveal details of a "military operation" in UAE and Saudi Arabia.
"The Yemeni armed forces will unveil in the next few hours details of a military operation deep in UAE and Saudi Arabia," Abulsalam tweeted.
The UAE defence ministry said it was "ready to deal with any threats" and was "taking all necessary measures to protect the state from all attacks", the official WAM news agency said.
Deadly prison attack
In the strikes on Saudi Arabia, two people were injured in Jazan and another missile was intercepted over Dhahram Al Janub.
Coalition forces destroyed a missile launchpad in northern Yemen, saying it had been used in the latest volley of attacks.
"This launchpad was used this morning in an operation to launch ballistic missiles," the coalition was quoted as saying by official Saudi media.
The grinding conflict entered a new phase with last week's attack on Abu Dhabi, which hit oil facilities and the airport, killing three people.
The attack — the first deadly assault on UAE soil acknowledged by the Emiratis and claimed by the Huthis — was a shock for the UAE, usually an oasis of calm in the volatile region.
It triggered a series of air strikes on Yemen.
Fourteen people died in an air raid on the capital, Sanaa, and at least three children were killed in an attack on the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, that knocked out the struggling country's internet.
The coalition denied carrying out a strike on a prison in the northern city of Saada, the rebels' home base, that killed at least 70 people and wounded more than 100, overwhelming hospitals.
But aid agencies dismissed the coalition's denial, saying that witnesses in Saada heard fighter jets overhead followed by three loud explosions.
"This is the latest in a long line of unjustifiable air strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition on places like schools, hospitals, markets, wedding parties and prisons," said Ahmed Mahat, head of mission for Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Huthis seized Sanaa, prompting Saudi-led forces to intervene to prop up the government the following year.
The conflict has left millions on the brink of famine, according to the UN which calls it the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe.
American military bases were targeted by Russian Su-34 bombers.
Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers were deployed as close as possible to American military bases and facilities. Notably, according to Syrian sources, Russian fighter jets are known to have flown just 20 kilometers from several US military installations at the same time, which is more than enough to bring down large-scale attacks.
According to Syrian news sources, several Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers were immediately deployed at Qamishli airport. It is known that we are talking about at least two fighter planes. At the same time, experts point to two likely reasons for the deployment of the Su-34 at Kamyshly Air Base: the provocative actions of the United States and the threat of a full-scale attack by Islamic State terrorists .
Shortly before, there was information that Russia intended to take measures to drive the United States out of Syria. This is due to the fact that the presence of the US military in the Arab Republic is illegal.
Given the capabilities of the Russian Su-34s, several US facilities in this country are under potential attack by Russian fighter-bombers simultaneously, and we are talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of US military and mercenaries. However, with several thousand Islamic State terrorists on the loose, there is also the possibility that Russian fighter-bombers arriving in Qamishli will be deployed to destroy these jihadists.