UAE Says It Thwarted New Drone Attack Claimed By Small Terror Group

The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted three drones that entered its airspace over unpopulated areas early on Wednesday in the fourth such attack in three weeks.

The unprecedented first three assaults, including a missile attack on Monday during a visit by Israel's president, were launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis in an escalation with a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which includes the UAE.

The Houthis have not taken responsibility for the latest attack, which was claimed by a little-known group calling itself the "True Promise Brigades", according to US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which follows jihadist websites.

The group's only other claim was in January 2021, when it said it launched a drone at Saudi Arabia.

If confirmed, the claim by the "True Promise Brigade" could indicate an upswing in violence involving militias seeking to help Iran oppose Western and Gulf Arab adversaries, according to some analysts.

"If Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq came out of hibernation and did launch drones at the UAE ... then this was likely an Iran-directed or at very least Iran-tolerated operation," Michael Knights at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy said in a Twitter post, using the group's Arabic name.

Sunni Muslim Gulf powers have called on global powers trying to salvage a nuclear pact with Iran to also tackle Shi'ite Iran's regional proxies and missiles program.

Iran's foreign minister discussed Yemen with his Emirati counterpart by telephone on Wednesday.

The UAE largely reduced its military presence in Yemen in 2019 and has been engaging with Tehran under de-escalation efforts largely driven by economic priorities.