ABU DHABI, Jan 17: Two Indians and a Pakistani national were killed in a drone attack on Abu Dhabi by the Houthi rebels of Yemen that resulted in an explosion of oil tankers on Monday morning. At least six others were also injured, Abu Dhabi police said. Flights were suspended at Abu Dhabi airport for some time as precaution. The Houthi military claimed it launched the operation “deep in the UAE" and warned the UAE against “tampering in Yemen".

UAE authorities have launched an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. State news agency WAM confirmed that three people were killed and six wounded when three fuel tanker trucks exploded in the industrial Musaffah area near storage facilities of oil firm ADNOC. It said those killed were two Indians and a Pakistani.

The attack on an Arab ally of the United States by the Shi’ite Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen threatens to escalate the fighting in the region.

“The UAE condemns this terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on areas and civilian facilities on Emirati soil…(It) will not go unpunished," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “The UAE reserves the right to respond to these terrorist attacks and criminal escalation."

The UAE is a member of the coalition led by Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia that backs the Government in Yemen. And being a part of the coalition, the UAE has reportedly been arming the Yemeni forces.

The Houthis have conducted cross-border drone attacks on Saudi Arabia many a time but an attack on the UAE is new.

ADNOC later said an incident at its Mussafah Fuel Depot at 10:00 am local time had resulted in a fire and that it was working with authorities to “determine the exact cause".

A few days ago, a UAE ship was seized by the Houthis.

Iran has not reacted to the incident.