The Houthi rebels in Yemen said today (Monday) that they attacked Abu Dhabi yesterday with several ballistic missiles and fired drones at Dubai.

The attack by pro-Iranian Shiite rebels took place during a visit by President Yitzhak Herzog to Abu Dhabi, from where he continued today to Dubai, which hosts the International Expo 2020 exhibition. The Houthi government information minister wrote on Twitter that the attack was a "welcome to the leader of the Zionist entity."

"I am very happy about the exciting opportunity to see this beautiful country," Herzog said at the Expo 2020 exhibition. "The exhibition is a huge achievement for you, and also for Dubai and your brave country leaders that I was privileged to meet. It is also a reminder of the profit that can be made when we work together to break down walls, unite minds and imagine a different future."

"I hope more countries will join the Abrahamic Agreements," said Herzog, the first president to visit the Emirates since the Abrahamic Accords were signed in September 2020. 

The Emirati Defense Ministry said yesterday that air defense systems intercepted a ballistic missile in the skies of Abu Dhabi and did not indicate any launches by UAVs. The missile at the Emirates.

This was the pro-Iranian Shiite insurgents' third attack on the Emirates in the past two weeks. The Emirates reduced its military involvement in Yemen in 2019, but maintained influence through local militias it trained and armed. Of them, the "Giants Brigade" has recently repulsed the Houthis from areas in Marib province, the main battleground in recent months between the Yemeni government and the Houthis who have threatened to hit in response Emirates depths.

Iran condemned Herzog's visit, accusing it of normalizing Arab states with Israel as a source of division in the Arab and Muslim world.

Image: Reuters