Several Nigerians were among dozens of people injured after Iran launched another wave of missile and drone strikes on the United Arab Emirates, an attack that left six people dead.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems successfully intercepted a number of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles fired from Iran. Authorities described the incident as a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions across the Middle East.
In an official statement, the ministry confirmed that its defence forces responded to nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones launched during the attack on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
According to the ministry, six people lost their lives while 141 others sustained injuries, including foreign nationals residing and working in the Gulf nation.
The ministry stated: “The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,”
It added: “Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,”
Officials said those who died included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
While the ministry did not specify the exact locations where casualties occurred, it confirmed that among the injured were residents from several countries, including Nigeria.
Other affected nationals reportedly came from countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and several others.
Reports indicate that Iran has continued launching missile and drone strikes across parts of the Gulf region despite objections from neighbouring countries.
The attacks are believed to be retaliation for recent military actions carried out by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets.
According to reports, Tehran directed attacks at several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, between late Friday and early Saturday, with some strikes causing damage to infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Nigerians stranded in various Gulf countries have appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to begin preparations for evacuation flights should the security situation worsen.
