A gas explosion sounded in Abu Dhabi overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, in a context of growing insecurity with fear of new attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels who have launched missiles and drones against the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks.
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The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a security alert after a major explosion shortly after midnight at a building on Hamdan Street in the heart of the city.
The emergency services of the Emirati capital “
extinguished the fire caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder
”, indicated the local official agency WAM, specifying that no injuries or victims were to be deplored.
“
Teams were able to bring the situation under control after extinguishing the fire and evacuating residents safely
,” she added.
The authorities called on the public to "
follow the information of the official authorities of the Emirates and to avoid sharing rumours
", according to the same source.
A little later, in a separate press release, the American embassy warned "
that there were reports of a possible missile or drone attack
" over Abu Dhabi.
The Gulf country -- which currently hosts the FIFA Club World Cup ahead of the 2022 World Cup -- has been on high alert since a Houthi drone and missile attack killed three migrant workers in Abu Dhabi on January 17.
In the following weeks, three more airstrikes against the country were intercepted, two of which were also claimed by Yemeni rebels.
The Emirates are part of a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which has been helping the government of Yemen since 2015, at war against the Houthis, close to Iran.
According to the UN, in more than seven years of war, the conflict in Yemen has claimed 377,000 lives and pushed the country's 30 million inhabitants to the brink of famine.