Two Indians died at the explosion and fire near a major oil storage facility in Abu Dhabi on Monday, the police confirmed. 

The explosion on three oil tankers and a separate fire at an extension of Abu Dhabi international airport are speculated to have been caused by a drone attack. 

The incident killed three and wounded six others. The third person who died has been identified as a Pakistani national, according to an Associated Press report.

Minor or moderate wounds have been reported from those injured. 

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India’s envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sunjay Sudhir, told NDTV, “We have heard from the authorities here that two Indians died. We are trying to find out their identities. We will reach out to their families. Stay calm. The UAE is a very peaceful place.”

Police said an investigation was underway. In a statement, it has said that there was no damage from the incidents. 

Preliminary inquiries have 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. 

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While no suspects have been named by the officials, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack. The Iranian-backed Houthis have claimed several attacks that Emirati officials later denied took place. 

It must be noted that the UAE has been at war in Yemen for about six years now. It was also part of the Saudi-led coalition that was responsible for attacks against the Houthis after they ousted the government. 

While Abu Dhabi has mostly withdrawn its forces from Yemen, it still continues to support local militias in the country. It also works with the United States in counter-terrorism operations in one of the Arab world’s poorest nations.

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The Iranian-backed Houthis had claimed responsibility for attacks on Abu Dhabi’s airport and the Barakah nuclear power plant in the past, but the UAE officials had denied both incidents. 

The group has earlier attempted crude bomb attacks via drones to target Saudi and the UAE, at airports and oil facilities, and through boots to attack key shipping routes. 

The war in Yemen has killed 130,000 people in Yemen, including civilians, and has further caused a hunger crisis in the country.

(With inputs from Associated Press)