UAE says its air defenses intercepted barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles

The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday that its air defense systems intercepted a barrage of ballistic missiles launched from Iran, as regional tensions continue to rise.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defense said air defenses were responding to incoming missiles and affirmed the country's "full readiness to deal with all threats" to protect its territory and ensure the safety of citizens and residents.

Earlier Tuesday, the ministry said its air defenses intercepted 26 drones and destroyed eight ballistic missiles detected in Iranian attacks. It said 35 drones were identified, with 26 intercepted and nine falling inside the country.

The ministry also reported detecting nine ballistic missiles, eight of which were intercepted, while one fell into the sea.

Since the start of the Iranian attacks on the country, authorities said they have detected 1,475 drones, destroying 1,385, while 90 fell inside the UAE.

Regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring over 10,000.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting US military assets across the region as well as several Israeli cities.