SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The United Arab Emirates intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement as the country hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a first such visit.
The UAE defense ministry said the latest missile attack was intercepted 20 minutes past midnight and that its debris fell on an uninhabited area, according to Reuters.
It further said coalition warplanes had destroyed missile launchers that were located in Yemen.
It was the third attack on U.S.-allied UAE within the last two weeks, including a deadly strike on the capital Abu Dhabi on January 17, in an escalation of the Yemen war between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition.
The attack came while Israel’s president was visiting Abu Dhabi where he discussed security and bilateral relations with the UAE’s de facto ruler Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Herzog spent the night in Abu Dhabi, an Israeli official told Reuters. He will continue his UAE visit despite the Houthi attack, his office said. He is due to visit the Expo 2020 Dubai world fair on Monday.
“While Israel’s president is visiting the UAE to build bridges and promote stability across the region, the Houthis continue to launch attacks that threaten civilians,” U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a tweet.
