Abu Dhabi, March 4 : The UAE's Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said that its air defence systems successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles and detected 129 drones, of which 121 were intercepted while eight fell within the country.

The ministry stated that since the start of the Iranian attack, 189 ballistic missiles launched towards the UAE have been detected, with 175 missiles destroyed, 13 falling into the sea and one missile landing within the territory of the state.

According to the statement released by the UAE's Ministry of Defence on X, 941 Iranian drones have been detected, of which 876 were intercepted, while 65 fell within the country. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.

In the statement, the ministry said, "The attacks caused some collateral damage and resulted in three fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi nationalities, as well as 78 minor injuries among individuals of Emirati, Egyptian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese and Afghan nationalities."

The ministry stated that sounds were heard in several parts of UAE due to the air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter aircraft intercepting drones and cruise missiles. Minor to moderate material damage was caused to a number of civilian facilities due to these operations.

The ministry condemned this military targeting terming it as a "blatant act of aggression and a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law."

It stated that the UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its people and its residents, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security and stability and protects its national interests and capabilities.

The UAE's Ministry of Defence reiterated that it is fully prepared and ready to address any threats and is taking all necessary measures to firmly confront anything that seeks to undermine the countryâ??s security and stability. It further mentioned that safety of people remains a top priority that cannot be compromised. It advised people to obtain information from official sources in UAE and avoid circulating rumours or unverified information.

The latest conflict in West Asia began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on Saturday, aimed at degrading Tehran's missile capabilities and broader military infrastructure.

The opening wave of the operation killed senior figures in the Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sweeping response from Iran in the form of drone and missile attacks targetting US assets, regional capitals and allied forces across West Asia.

/IANS