UAE says it 'successfully engaged' 2 drones from Iran amid regional escalation

The United Arab Emirates said Sunday its air defense systems “successfully engaged” two drones from Iran on Sunday amid rising regional escalation.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that it had intercepted a total of 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,265 drones since the onset of the Iranian attacks in February.

No casualties were reported "in the past hours," it added.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline, giving way to diplomacy for a permanent solution to the war.