Drone in the sky. File photoMOSCOW, Jan 23The UAE authorities have banned hobbyists from flying drones amid recent drone strikes by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) rebels ruling northern Yemen, the country's interior ministry said in a statement. Drones simultaneously hit several targets in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, including a new airport construction site and fuel tanks near the warehouses of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, killing three people and injuring six. The Houthis claimed responsibility, calling the raid a response to the UAE's involvement in hostilities against them in Yemen.Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns attack on infrastructure facilities in UAE The Interior Ministry adds that the decree, agreed with the UAE Civil Aviation Authority, is designed to «ensure the safety of lives and property.» The statement notes that the exception is organizations that shoot films or commercials using drones, but they will now need to obtain permission from the authorities. In response to Yemeni rebel drone launches in Abu Dhabi, the Saudi and Emirati air forces have redoubled their bombing of Houthis-controlled territories in Yemen, in particular the capital Sana'a, where an entire residential area has been bombed, killing more than 20 people. Armed confrontation between government forces and the Houthis has been going on in Yemen since August 2014. Since 2015, an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has been fighting on the side of the government. Despite the fact that the UAE previously announced the end of participation in military operations in Yemen, they left their military at the military bases they created in Yemeni ports. In recent weeks, the UAE has taken part in government-backed fighting against the Houthis in several Yemeni provinces, including reclaiming areas in the southeastern province of Shebwa under government control.
The Houthis announced the launch of a ballistic missile at the airport in Dubai
