A general view of the Abu Dhabi skyline
(Picture: REUTERS)Drones may have caused an explosion on three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi as well as a fire at the emirate’s main airport, police believe.
Abu Dhabi police said three fuel tanker trucks had exploded in an industrial area near storage facilities of the state-owned oil firm and that a “minor” fire broke out at a construction site at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
"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.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday claimed Monday they had launched an attack in the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is the centre of the country’s government.
A spokesperson for the group did not give further details, saying a statement would be released soon.
Police say preliminary investigations indicate that two small flying objects, possibly drones, fell in the area, causing the explosion and fire. They claimed there was no significant damage from either, but did not offer more details.
The UAE is a key member of the Saudi-led coalition that launched attacks against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen after the group overran the capital and ousted the internationally backed government from power.
Although the UAE has decreased the number of troops it has on the ground, it continues to be actively engaged in the war and supports key militias fighting the Houthis.
It also cooperates closely with the United States in counter-terrorism operations in Yemen.
The location of the ADNOC oil storage facility where the tankers caught fire is around 1,100 miles northeast of Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in Yemen.
Yemeni forces, backed by the UAE, have pushed back the rebel group in key southern and central provinces of the country in recent weeks.
The group has claimed previous attacks on Abu Dhabi's airport, as well as the emirate's Barakah nuclear power plant, which Emirati officials have denied in the past.
