A Nigerian national is among more than 120 people injured following Iranian missile and drone attacks that were intercepted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), authorities have confirmed.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems have been actively responding to a wave of Iranian aerial attacks since the conflict escalated late February.

According to the ministry, a total of 262 ballistic missiles have been detected since the beginning of the attacks on February 28. Of these, 241 were intercepted and destroyed, while 19 fell into the sea and two landed within UAE territory.

Officials also reported that 1,475 drones launched from Iran were detected during the same period. Air defence systems intercepted 1,385 of the drones, while 90 fell within the country’s territory. Additionally, eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed.

The attacks resulted in six deaths involving foreign nationals from several countries. Authorities said 122 people sustained moderate to minor injuries, including citizens from numerous countries such as the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, among others.

However, the UAE government did not provide a breakdown showing how many casualties or injuries were recorded for each nationality.

The missile launches are believed to be part of Iran’s retaliation amid escalating regional tensions, after Tehran accused the Gulf nation of allowing the United States to use its bases for military operations against it.

In a further update, the defence ministry said its air defence systems were again responding to new missile and drone threats launched from Iran. Authorities explained that loud explosions heard in parts of the country were caused by interception operations carried out by defence systems targeting incoming projectiles.

The ministry reiterated that the country’s armed forces remain on high alert and are prepared to respond to any threats to the nation’s security