Drone attack may be behind Abu Dhabi tanker explosion, fire

Police in the United Arab Emirates say drones may have sparked an explosion on three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and may have caused a separate fire at an extension of the emirate’s main airport on Monday

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Drones may have sparked an explosion on three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and may have caused a separate fire at an extension of the emirate's main airport on Monday, according to a statement by police.

Abu Dhabi police described the airport fire as “minor” and said it took place at an extension of the international airport that is still under construction. The statement reported a separate blast on three petroleum transport tankers near a storage facility for ADNOC, Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, meanwhile, claimed they launched an attack at the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s seat of government and steers the country’s foreign policy.

Abu Dhabi police said preliminary investigations indicated the detection of small flying objects, possibly belonging to drones, that fell in the two areas and may have caused the explosion and fire. They said there was no significant damage from the incidents, without offering further details.