At least one Nigerian has been reported among dozens injured during recent Iranian missile strikes in the United Arab Emirates, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that the attacks were part of a series of retaliatory actions by Iran, following claims that the Gulf nation allowed the United States to use its military bases for operations targeting Tehran.
In an official statement on Tuesday, the ministry said that since the conflict began on February 28, UAE air defence systems have detected 262 ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Of these, 241 were successfully intercepted, 19 fell into the sea, and two struck locations within UAE territory.
The ministry also reported detecting 1,475 Iranian drones, with 1,385 intercepted, and 90 landing within the country. Additionally, eight cruise missiles were detected and neutralized.
The attacks resulted in six fatalities, involving citizens of the UAE, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, while 122 others sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate, according to authorities.
The injured include individuals from multiple nationalities, such as the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, the Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, and Palestine. The UAE has not disclosed the exact number of casualties per nationality.