At least two explosions were heard in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi at around midnight Tuesday night. There are conflicting reports about the cause of the blasts.
NEW – reports of 1, possibly 2 explosions in #AbuDhabi. Large police & emergency response presence outside one tower that some in the area say may have been hit by a rocket. pic.twitter.com/6knk1X2kLv
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) February 8, 2022
Media affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a drone strike at Abu Dhabi, according to Middle East journalist Babak Taghvaee.
According to #IRGC affiliated media, #Houthi rebels conducted a drone strike at Abu-Dhabi, the #UAE‘s capital. As a result, a small loitering drone hit a commercial building in the city center resulting in damages to civilian property. Houthis are terrorizing people in UAE. pic.twitter.com/aIbowylgr7
— Babak Taghvaee – Μπάπακ Τακβαίε – بابک تقوایی (@BabakTaghvaee) February 8, 2022
According to the UAE’s official WAM news agency, however, the blasts and fire were caused by a gas cylinder explosion. The news agency said Abu Dhabi civil defense teams extinguished a fire in a building on Hamdan Street, adding that no injuries or casualties were reported.
Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority teams put out fire in a building on Hamdan Street, with no injuries or casualties reported.#WamNews pic.twitter.com/FWQSzg1SBR
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) February 8, 2022
“The teams managed to extinguish the fire and safely vacate the residents,” WAM reported. “Cooling procedures to minimize the damage are under way.
According to Jon Gambrell, Associated Press news director for the Gulf and Iran, “The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi later warned Americans of “reports of a possible missile or drone strike having occurred over Abu Dhabi.” He added the Houthis and their associated media had not immediately claimed responsibility for any attack.
The Houthis have carried out several attacks on the United Arab Emirates over the past several weeks.
This is a developing story.
