Drone attacks on an airport in Abu Dhabi and on oil tankers in Mussaffah have left three dead, Abu Dhabi police confirmed on Monday, including two Indian nationals and one Pakistani.
Six people were also injured. A fire broke out near the Adnoc storage tanks in Mussaffah, near Mohamed bin Zayed City on Monday morning, leading to the deaths and injuries.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs is expected shortly.
The drone attack was claimed by Houthi rebels. The UAE has been at war against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015.
Abu Dhabi police said preliminary investigations indicated the detection of small flying objects, possibly belonging to drones, that fell in the two areas and may have caused the explosion and fire. They said there was no significant damage from the incidents, without offering further details.
The incident comes as South Korea's President Moon Jae-in visits the UAE. During the president's meeting with Emirati Prime Minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Sunday, the two countries reportedly reached a preliminary deal valued at some $3.5 billion sell mid-range South Korean surface-to-air missiles to the UAE.
Houthi rebels have used drones in the past to target petroleum-related infrastructure. In 2019, global oil production was affected after drone attacks targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia.
