Abu Dhabi (South24) 

Abu Dhabi Police stated on Monday [1] that 3 civilians were killed and 6 others injured in an oil tankers explosion, in an attack that the Houthis claimed responsibility for. [2]

WAM agency (quoting Abu Dhabi police) reported that three petroleum fuel tanks exploded in the "Mussafah ICAD 3" area near the ADNOC oil tanks area.

Police reported that a Pakistani resident and two other Indian nationals were killed in the explosion of the tankers.

They further reported that "another minor fire" broke out in the new construction area of Abu Dhabi International Airport, "which did not leave any damage."

According to "WAM", the police stated that preliminary investigations indicate that small objects were detected, possibly two drones that caused the two accidents.

The diplomatic advisor to the UAE President Dr. Anwar Gargash, accused the Houthis of being behind the attack.

Gargash tweeted a short while ago, that the concerned authorities in the UAE deal with "transparency and responsibility regarding the Houthi attack on civilian facilities in Abu Dhabi."

According to Gargash, "terrorist militias' tampering with regional stability is too weak to affect the security and security we live in, and the fate of this reckless and absurdity is to demise and defeat."

Later, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "the terrorist Houthi militia's targeting of civilian areas and facilities on UAE soil."

A statement by the UAE Foreign Ministry, published by WAM, said that "this sinful targeting will not go unpunished," and that "the UAE reserves the right to respond to these terrorist attacks."

In conjunction with the two attacks, the Houthis announced a "widespread operation in the UAE" took place and they will reveal further details. [3]

Mohammad Abd al-Salam implicitly threatened Abu Dhabi with further escalation during his visit to the Iranian capital Tehran today and which it included a meeting with Iranian president Ibrahim Raisi. [4]

In addition, the Saudi-led Arab Coalition announced today the destruction of 8 drones launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia, launched from Sanaa International Airport. [5]

Escalation

On January 3rd, the Houthis hijacked a ship carrying the UAE flag off the coastal city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea.

The Coalition announced that the UAE ship "Rawabi" had been subjected to "piracy and armed hijacking" by the Houthis. [6]

The Coalition also accused the Houthis of transferring weapons to the ship, before the Houthis published pictures showing military logistical vehicles and equipment on the ship board.

The "Rawabi" ship hijacking coincided with defeats suffered by the Houthis in Shabwa Governorate, South Yemen, at the hands of the Southern Giants Brigades. [7]

The Southern Giants Brigades, which the UAE contributed greatly to establishing and supporting years ago, were able to liberate three districts seized by the Houthis last September.

After the liberation of the three Beihan districts in Shabwa, the Giants Brigades advanced towards the border district of Harib, one of the districts of Marib Governorate, North Yemen.

The Giants declared today their control of many areas in Harib. It also published a video which it stated that they have seized 20 Houthi missiles in Harib, Marib. [8]

AFP quoted statements by the Houthi official, Abd al-Ilah Hajar, in Sanaa, that "we have previously sent warning messages to the UAE that if it does not stop its support for the mercenaries (..) who are mobilizing in Marib, al-Bayda and Shabwa, we will have a response."

Since last November, Arab Coalition planes have launched dozens of raids on the Houthi capital Sanaa, some of which targeted the airport. The Coalition accused the Houthis of using the airport for military purposes. [9]

On December 21st, Iran announced the death of its ambassador to the Houthis, Hassan Erlo, due to COVID-19. Experts believe that Erlo, a senior official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, died as a result of an injury in one of the Saudi raids on Sanaa. [10]

Condemnations

The Saudi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi, describing it as "cowardly and terrorist".

The ministry said in a statement that this attack, "which the Houthi militia is behind, confirms the danger of this group."

Riyadh affirmed its support for Abu Dhabi against all sources of threats to its security and stability.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the "Houthi militias' persistence in their criminal acts." While the Gulf Cooperation Council described the attack as "terrorist".

Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Yemen also condemned the attack. The STC in South Yemen condemned "in the strongest terms" what civilian objects in Abu Dhabi were subjected to. 

South24 Center for News and Studies

Photo: A clip from a video circulating of smoke rising in Abu Dhabi after the attack (Agencies)