Abu Dhabi on Sunday denied a claim by Iran-backed Huthi rebels that a missile fired from Yemen reached its air space or threatened a nuclear power plant set to open in 2018.

"The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority denied claims by the Huthis in Yemen that they launched a missile today towards the airspace of the United Arab Emirates," the Emirati state news agency reported.

The authority sought to dampen fears that Abu Dhabi -- and specifically the Barakah nuclear plant -- was vulnerable to attack, saying the UAE "has an air defence system capable of dealing with any threat of any kind".

The Huthi rebels earlier Sunday claimed to have hit the Barakah plant, a "strategic target", with a cruise missile fired from Yemen.

In a statement broadcast by their news outlet Al-Masirah, the rebels said the attack followed a "successful" November 30 missile launch against Saudi Arabia, which along with the UAE is waging a military campaign against the Huthis.

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted the missile but an earlier Huthi attack on November 4 threatened Riyadh international airport and prompted the Saudi-led coalition to tighten an already crippling blockade on Yemen.

The Huthis' latest claim came as their ally of three years, Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, threatened to bypass the Iran-backed rebels and negotiate with the Saudi-led coalition.

The Huthis' political office accused Saleh of staging a "coup" against "an alliance he never believed in", and warned that Saudi Arabia and its allies -- which include the UAE -- would "pay a heavy price in their own capitals".

Tweet

Poland to buy AMRAAMs, HIMARS systems from U.S.
Washington (UPI) Nov 29, 2017
The State Department has approved possible foreign military sales to Poland for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles as NATO continues to bolster Poland's defense arsenal - a move that Russia says undermines regional security. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which is in charge of foreign military arms sales and coopera ... read more

Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only