In Response To Houthi Attack, UAE F-16 Fighter Jet Destroys Ballistic Missile Battery Targeting Abu Dhabi

Ilustrasi jet tempur F-16 UEA. (Wikimedia Commons/U. S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)

JAKARTA - The authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) moved quickly to retaliate against an attack carried out against it by targeting the weapons installations of the Houthi group on Monday.

A UAE fighter jet destroyed a missile battery used to launch a rocket that targeted Abu Dhabis early Monday, which was intercepted by the country's defenses.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense released footage of an attack by an F-16 fighter jet in Al Jawf, outside the Houthi-held Sanaa in Yemen. Al Jawf is about 1.500 km south of Abu Dhabi.

The attack took place at 4:10 a.m. local time, shortly after launchers fired two ballistic rockets toward the Emirati capital. The two of them were shot down by the air defenses protecting the city.

"The attempted attack in Abu Dhabi resulted in no casualties, as remnants of the intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles fell in separate areas around the emirate," the authorities quoted The National January 24 as saying.

Meanwhile, residents who became eyewitnesses said flashes were seen in the sky above the capital at around 4.15 a.m.

Last week, after a Houthi attack on the Adnoc oil storage plant, killed three workers and injured six others, the government said it had "the right to retaliate".

A projectile fired at Abu Dhabi airport caused a small fire in the extension area under construction away from the terminal, unharmed.

Dr. Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa, said it was a "heinous attack on civilian facilities".

Earlier, two ballistic missiles aimed at Abu Dhabi were shot down in the early hours of Monday, the Defense Ministry said.

Authorities confirmed, "the attack resulted in no casualties, as remnants of the intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles fell in separate areas around the emirate."

"The weapon was launched by the Houthi terrorist group," the ministry said, citing The National News from the State News Agency WAM 24.

The ministry said it was "ready to face any threat and take all necessary measures to protect the country from attacks".

In Abu Dhabi on Monday, students returned to school as planned after several weeks of distance learning and busy sightseeing.

Meanwhile, flights at the airport took off as usual on a busy Monday morning. Social media claims that the airport is closed seems completely false.