The United Arab Emirates has revealed the scale of the bombardment it has faced since the start of the Iran war, announcing that Emirati and allied defences have intercepted 109 drones and tracked 205 missiles launched toward the Gulf region since Day 1 of hostilities.

In a rare late‑night press briefing in Abu Dhabi, a UAE Armed Forces spokesman said Patriot, THAAD and short‑range systems had been in “near‑continuous combat mode,” shooting down waves of Shahed‑style drones and ballistic missiles aimed at airbases, desalination plants and energy infrastructure. Large screens showed radar tracks streaking in from Iran and western Iraq, and thermal images of intercepts over the desert and offshore platforms.

Officials confirmed “limited damage” to two industrial zones and a fuel depot, with several foreign workers injured by debris, but insisted no critical facility has been knocked offline. “Our air defence network has been stress‑tested like never before,” the spokesman said, “and it is holding.”

Behind the calm tone, anxiety is rising. Airlines have rerouted key routes, insurers have hiked war‑risk premiums, and residents in Abu Dhabi and Dubai report a new normal of late‑night sirens and distant booms. Privately, Emirati diplomats warn partners that the UAE is being dragged into a war it did not choose — and that if Iran’s next waves grow heavier, even the best shield in the Gulf may not catch everything.