Several Nigerians were among more than 140 people injured after Iran launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates, leaving at least six people dead, authorities said.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles fired from Iran in what officials described as a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement released on Saturday, March 14, 2026, the ministry said its defence units successfully engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault.
According to the ministry, the attack resulted in six fatalities and 141 injuries, including several foreign nationals living and working in the Gulf nation.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry said.
It added that since the beginning of what it described as Iranian aggression, the country’s air defence forces had intercepted 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,600 unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Iran.
Authorities said those killed included both UAE citizens and foreign nationals, particularly from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
While officials did not disclose the exact locations where the casualties occurred, they confirmed that some of the injured were Nigerian residents.
Other affected nationals include citizens of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Additional countries whose citizens were impacted include Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
Iran has reportedly continued missile and drone strikes across parts of the Gulf region despite protests from neighbouring countries.
The attacks are believed to be in retaliation for recent military operations carried out by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets.
Iranian forces targeted several Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — late Friday into Saturday, with some strikes reportedly causing infrastructural damage.
Meanwhile, Nigerians stranded across several Gulf countries have appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to prepare possible evacuation flights should the security situation deteriorate further.
