# UAE Says It Intercepted 17 Ballistic Missiles and 35 Drones
The United Arab Emirates says its armed forces have dealt with 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was agreed, according to the supplied evidence from The National. The event date is 2026-04-08, and the report places the latest interceptions inside a wider conflict that has continued despite the ceasefire announcement.
The evidence also says the UAE's air defenses have intercepted 537 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles and 2,256 drones since Iran began daily attacks on February 28. Those figures frame the latest incident not as an isolated exchange, but as part of a sustained pattern of attacks and interceptions over weeks.
A separate consequence is reported at the Habshan gas complex, where three people were injured after falling debris caused fires following a successful interception. The injured were identified in the evidence as two Emiratis and one Indian citizen, all described as having minor injuries. Authorities in Abu Dhabi also confirmed that operations at the site were suspended.
The report adds a political layer through comments from Dr Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed. In a social-media post, he said the UAE had triumphed in a war it had sought to avoid and would now manage a more complex regional landscape with greater leverage and a stronger capacity to influence events. That statement is notable because it combines a security claim with a strategic interpretation of the ceasefire period that followed.
The evidence further says the UAE's Ministry of Defence announced later on Wednesday that air defenses were dealing with another missile and drone attack despite the ceasefire. That detail underlines a central tension in the story: the truce did not immediately end hostile activity, and the Emirati military continued to report incoming threats after the pause was announced.
The packet also includes casualty information, stating that two UAE Armed Forces personnel and a Moroccan civilian contractor were killed since the war began, along with 10 civilian deaths in the Emirates and 224 recorded injuries. Those figures should be treated as the UAE's reported conflict toll rather than independently verified totals.
Taken together, the supplied evidence shows a state still operating under direct threat even after a ceasefire announcement. The event date captures a moment when military interception, civilian injury and official messaging were all unfolding at the same time, with the UAE trying to describe both resilience and ongoing danger.
