Lois Larson
On 17 January 2022, a drone and missile attack was launched on Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed Shia Islamist movement. The attack, which killed three civilians and injured six others, targeted an Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. fuel depot in the Mussafah neighbourhood and an extension of the Abu Dhabi International Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 January 2022 |
| Location | Mussafah neighbourhood, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Target | Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. fuel depot |
| Weapons | Drones and missiles |
| Damage | Three tankers exploded, killing three civilians and injuring six others |
| Perpetrators | Houthis |
| Response | Denouncements and retaliatory actions by various countries and organisations |
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What You'll Learn
The 2022 Abu Dhabi terrorist attack
On 17 January 2022, the Houthi movement launched a terrorist attack on Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The attack, named "Operation Hurricane of Yemen", involved drones and missiles targeting the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company fuel depot in the Mussafah neighbourhood, as well as an under-construction airport extension infrastructure.
The attack resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to six others. Two Indian nationals and one Pakistani national were killed in the assault, which police described as a suspected drone attack. Six people were wounded at the facility near Al-Dhafra Air Base, which is home to American and French forces. Another fire also struck Abu Dhabi International Airport, but no damage was visible in that attack.
Houthi military spokesman Yehia Sarea claimed that the Houthis targeted the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, along with an oil refinery and other sites in the UAE. However, Dubai's airport operated normally on Monday, and the Emirati government found no evidence of an attack on Dubai's airport.
The attack was met with widespread condemnation from the international community. The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution denouncing the "heinous terrorist attacks" in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, and Kuwait, issued strong denouncements. Yemen, where the Houthis operate, also denounced the incident as an act of terror.
This incident marked an escalation in tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. The coalition retaliated by launching a bombing campaign against Houthi sites in Sanaa.
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Houthi movement claims responsibility
On January 17, 2022, Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Abu Dhabi International Airport, which killed two Indian nationals and one Pakistani national and injured six others. The attack was part of "Operation Hurricane of Yemen", which also targeted three oil refueling vehicles in an oil refinery for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in Musaffah. Houthi military spokesman Yahia Sarei claimed that the group fired "a large number" of drones and five ballistic missiles in the attack.
The Houthi movement, also known as the Houthis, is a Shia Islamist rebel group based in Yemen. Since 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war between the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, and the government of Mansur Hadi, which is supported by a Saudi Arabian-led intervention that includes the United Arab Emirates. The Houthis have previously targeted Saudi Arabia, launching two similar attacks on critical oil installations in 2019.
The 2022 attack on Abu Dhabi was met with widespread condemnation from the international community. The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution denouncing "in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attacks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates". The Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, and Kuwait, also issued strong denouncements, as did the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Yemen, where the Houthis operate, strongly denounced the incident, describing it as an escalation of the war and an act of terror.
In response to the attack, the Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign targeting Houthi sites in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. The Yemeni Giants Brigade, backed by the United Arab Emirates, continued to push into the Houthi-controlled energy-producing Marib region despite warnings of further attacks on the UAE. The coalition also intercepted two ballistic missiles from the Houthis heading towards Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, which houses US troops, on January 24, 2022.
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Three civilians killed, six injured
On the morning of January 17, 2022, a drone attack struck an extension of the Abu Dhabi International Airport, killing three civilians and injuring six others. The attack was part of a series of assaults on “sensitive Emirati facilities" claimed by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis targeted the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as an oil refinery and other sites in the UAE with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones.
The attack on the Abu Dhabi airport set fire to three oil tanker trucks and an under-construction airport extension infrastructure. Two Indian nationals and one Pakistani national were killed, and six people were injured by the drone strikes. The attack occurred around 10 a.m. on Monday, and police described it as a suspected drone attack. Senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash blamed the Houthis for the assault on civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates' capital.
Satellite images obtained by The Associated Press revealed the aftermath of the attack, with smoke rising over the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. fuel depot in the Mussafah neighbourhood of Abu Dhabi. White fire-suppressing foam was seen in the images, indicating the efforts to control the blaze. The attack sparked outrage and condemnation from various countries and organisations, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The Houthis had previously claimed responsibility for attacks on the airport in 2019, broadcasting footage of what they claimed was an attack on the facility. However, an investigation by Bellingcat concluded that it was highly unlikely that a Houthi-led drone attack had reached Abu Dhabi or Dubai in July 2018. The 2022 attack demonstrated an escalation of tensions and violence, prompting a strong response from affected countries and international entities.
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UN denounces the attack
The United Nations Security Council has denounced the Houthi-led attack on Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, January 17, in the strongest terms. The UNSC resolution, passed on January 21, condemned the "heinous terrorist attacks" on an oil facility and an under-construction airport extension in Abu Dhabi.
The UNSC joined a chorus of international condemnation of the assault, which killed three civilians and injured six others. The attack, claimed by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, targeted sensitive Emirati facilities with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. The Houthis had also claimed responsibility for an attack on a UAE cargo ship a few days before, capturing and raiding the vessel near Al Hudaydah.
The UNSC resolution denounced the attacks in Abu Dhabi and other sites in Saudi Arabia, expressing solidarity with the Emirati and Saudi governments and their people. The resolution stated that the UNSC would work with the UAE and Saudi Arabia to hold the perpetrators accountable and address the threat posed by the Houthis.
The United States National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, affirmed US support for the UAE, stating that they would work with international partners to hold the Houthis accountable. The Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also denounced the attacks. Yemen, where the Houthis operate, strongly condemned the incident, describing it as an escalation of the war and an act of terror.
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Expansion and history of the airport
The history of aviation in Abu Dhabi began in 1955, with a 3,000-foot sand runway and a tiny sandstone terminal. The first flights were operated by the local airline Gulf Aviation, which flew seven-seater De Havilland Doves and larger De Havilland Herons from Doha Airport. These aircraft would use the airport as a stopover en route to nearby Sharjah. The airport, known as Abu Dhabi Airfield, operated from 1955 to 1969 and the original terminal building remains intact, having been preserved in the centre of the television and radio complex of Abu Dhabi Media Company.
In the 1960s, the dirt strip frequently became waterlogged, making night flights largely impossible. It also couldn't cope with the influx of people arriving due to the oil boom, so a new jet-age airport was deemed necessary. Construction began in September 1966 on a new airport 7 kilometres southeast of the existing airfield, starting with a 3,200-metre (10,500-foot) runway, which was completed at the end of 1967. In 1966, Fokker F27 Friendships replaced the De Havilland Doves and De Havilland Herons, creating a massive boom that quickly saturated the airport. By 1967, the local government began a project with the British to build an even bigger airport, with a runway longer than London Heathrow's.
The new terminal opened in 1969 and was named Abu Dhabi International Airport (known today as Al Bateen Executive Airport), becoming the main airport of Abu Dhabi and the emirate in general. In 1974, it became harder to expand the airport due to the encroaching city, soil stabilisation problems, and its island location being hard to reach from the mainland. A decision was taken to build a new airport 30 kilometres east of Abu Dhabi, with Aéroports de Paris engaged to design it in 1975.
In 2005, recognising the need to increase capacity, enhance the passenger experience, and establish the airport as a world-class transit hub, the Abu Dhabi Airports Company initiated a major airport expansion program. The program is geared towards increasing capacity from 14 million to 45 million annual passengers by 2030, with improvements to existing facilities while preparing for future needs. The Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) is being constructed between the airport's two runways, allowing for the shortest possible journey from runway to parking stand. MTB construction began in 2012 but stalled for an extended period as Etihad underwent a business transformation. Terminal A opened in November 2023 and can handle 11,000 passengers per hour, with 49 numbered gates and the ability to serve up to 45 million passengers per year.
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Frequently asked questions
On 17 January 2022, the Houthi movement launched a drone and missile attack on Abu Dhabi, killing three civilians and injuring six others. The attack targeted an Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. fuel depot and an under-construction airport extension.
The attack was denounced by various countries and organisations including the United Nations Security Council, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt, and India. The U.S. National Security Advisor said the U.S. would work with the UAE and international partners to hold the Houthis accountable.
In 2019, Houthi-run Almasirah TV channel broadcast footage of what they claimed was an attack on the airport. However, an investigation by Bellingcat concluded that it was highly unlikely that a Houthi-led drone attack took place or reached Abu Dhabi Airport in July 2018.
