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Three loaded petroleum tankers exploded in the Mussaffah area of Abu Dhabi and a small fire was started in Abu Dhabi International Airport as part of a suspected coordinated terror attack, UAE security forces said. No injuries have been reported. Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Abu Dhabi authorities said drones likely caused a fire at the city's main airport and explosions involving three fuel trucks nearby, in what would be an unusual strike on targets in the United Arab Emirates. State sources have not confirmed the Houthi rebels claim of an attack as of yet.
"Initial investigations found parts of a small plane that could possibly be a drone at both sites that could have caused the explosion and the fire," the police said in a statement on state news agency WAM. The tankers were stored close to oil company ADNOC's storage facilities.
"Teams from the competent authorities have been dispatched and the fire is currently being put out," Wam reported. No "significant" damages have been reported. The police have launched an investigation into the attack.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels are well-known for having launched previous attacks like missiles on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but such direct attacks are rare. Media reports suggest that intensified bombing of Houthi forces in Yemeni regions Shabwa and Marin by UAE backed military may have promoted the attack.
The Houthi rebels have revealed that they conducted a deep military operation in UAE and announced that further details would be broadcast in time.
Last Friday, the UN had condemned the kidnapping of crew and ship named the Rwabee, belonging to the UAE, demanding that Houthi rebels release the ship and captured crew. The attack coincided with the death anniversary of too Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike.