UAE Intercepts Houthi Missile Attack on Israeli President Visit in the Gulf; US Condemns the Assault

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebel group during the visit of Israel President Isaac Herzog in the Gulf.

According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, there were no losses and damages from the assault. "The remains of the ballistic missiles landed outside residential areas, the authorities tweeted, per Al Jazeera.

The missile attack happened on Monday during President Herzog's ongoing visit to the UAE. One of his spokespersons told the media that the Israeli leader and his entourage were safe and his visit would push through according to plan.

President Herzog is scheduled to visit the Dubai Expo on Monday before going back to Israel.

On Sunday, the Israeli President met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. They condemned the terrorist attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis as well as discussed security and bilateral relations with the UAE's de facto ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Reuters.

A senior official of the UAE government said that the recent attacks by the Houthis are "useless" provocations though there would be necessary consequences to protect the sovereignty and security of the Gulf country.

"Those who test the UAE are mistaken," the official, Anwar Gargash, said in a post on Twitter.

US Blasts Attacks on UAE

Meanwhile, the United States Government condemned the recent attack on their ally UAE, the third assault in the last two weeks, including a strike on Abu Dhabi on January 17 that killed three civilians.

Last week, the United States issued a travel advisory that warns on the danger of continued attacks by the rebel group using missiles or drones.

"While Israel's president is visiting the UAE to build bridges and promote stability across the region, the Houthis continue to launch attacks that threaten civilians," State Department Spokesman Ned Price tweeted.

The recent missile attacks indicate the continued escalation of the war in Yemen between the Houthi rebel group and the Saudi-led coalition. The United Nations calls it "the worst humanitarian crisis."

Conflict Continues To Escalate

The Houthis launched a drone attack on January 17, killing three foreign workers in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis responded with airstrikes on the Yemeni capital that killed at least 12 people.

On January 24, the Houthis launched missiles again, but the UAE intercepted them with the help of the US, per CNN.

Following the strike, a Houthi spokesman warned that the organization would "increase their operations in the next phase," as well as advising international corporations to leave the UAE.

The UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition that has conflicted with the Houthi rebels, who have been backed by Iran for years.

Human rights organizations have expressed their concern with US President Joe Biden's likely re-designation of Yemen's Houthi rebels as terrorists, claiming that it will obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

Meanwhile, human rights advocacy groups express disappointment on United States President Joe Biden's possible re-designation of Yemen's Houthi rebels as terrorists as it would impact the delivery of relief for civilians.

Scott Paul, senior manager of humanitarian policy at Oxfam America, said in an interview that the recent position was "extremely disappointing."

"A year ago, the administration heeded our warnings - and nothing has changed since then to improve the outlook for what these designations would mean," Paul said.