Middle East war: 5 Indians, 7 Nepalese injured in Abu Dhabi after debris falls during interception of attack

Five Indians and seven Nepalese were injured in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Friday due to falling debris following the interception of an attack, according to the government media office, amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office took to X and said the incident in the Ajban area “resulted in minor to moderate injuries sustained by 6 individuals of Nepali nationality and 5 individuals of Indian nationality, and one major injury sustained by an individual of Nepali nationality.”

It added, “The public is reminded to obtain information only from official sources and to avoid spreading rumours or unverified information.”

Indian nationals injured earlier in UAE amid conflict

An Indian national was also injured on Wednesday after being struck by shrapnel from a drone that was intercepted by air defence systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), local authorities said. The incident took place near the Umm Al Thuoob Industrial Area in Umm Al Qaiwain, one of the country’s seven emirates, according to the state-run WAM news agency.

The Umm Al Qaiwain Government Media Office said authorities responded to the incident near a facility in the industrial area, where falling debris from the intercepted drone caused the injury. "The incident led to the injury of one Indian national," the agency quoted the office as saying.

Earlier last week, five Indians were injured in the UAE after debris fell near the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) when a ballistic missile was intercepted by the country’s air defence system, local media reported on Saturday.

Prior to that, on Thursday, an Indian national was among two people killed in the UAE when debris from intercepted missiles landed on a street, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

Abu Dhabi suspends operations
at main gas facility after attack

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi halted operations at its largest natural gas processing facility following a fire, marking the second shutdown at the site since the Middle East conflict began, as per Bloomberg.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the Habshan gas facility was taken offline after debris from an intercepted attack fell in the area and triggered the fire. The site, operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, is the UAE’s primary centre for gathering and processing gas from the emirate’s fields and supplying it for domestic use.

Habshan also includes oil facilities and serves as the starting point for Adnoc’s crude pipeline to Fujairah, a key port located outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Hours earlier, Kuwait’s Mina Al Ahmadi oil refinery was also hit, with active units catching fire at the time. Authorities added that a power and water desalination plant was targeted early Friday, resulting in damage to several components.

Iranian nationals go through strict new restrictions to enter UAE

Iranian nationals have largely been prohibited from entering the UAE, with only limited exceptions, according to Dubai-based airlines, while travel agencies reported a surge in visa rejections for Iranians since the Middle East conflict began.

These measures highlight worsening relations between Iran and the UAE, over a month into Tehran’s Gulf campaign, which has impacted the Emirates more than any other country.

Emirates and flydubai airlines stated on their websites that Iranian citizens are barred from entering the UAE, except for certain categories, including residents with ties to Emirati families and individuals in specific professions.

Since 28 February, when the United States and Israel carried out a large-scale joint offensive against Iran, the conflict has spread across the Gulf region following Iran’s retaliatory strikes.

(With inputs from agencies)