UAE F‑16 Shoots Down Iranian Drone Over Dubai Beach in Viral Footage | WATCH

Dubai: A dramatic video circulating online has captured an intense scene over the UAE skies, where a fighter jet destroys an Iranian drone while startled beachgoers watch. A UAE F-16E firing what looks to be an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile follows a drone flying low over the sea in the video. Shortly after, the drone is destroyed, underscoring the continuous violence in the area.

What the Video Shows?

A low-flying Iranian drone is seen crossing the ocean as beachgoers gaze up at the sky at the start of the footage. Shortly after, the drone gets hit by a heat-seeking AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired by an F-16E. Everyone on the beach watches as the drone explodes upon impact.

Tensions in the Gulf are rising at the time of this transmission. According to the UAE Defense Ministry, 117 drones were found, 113 of which were intercepted and destroyed, and four of which fell inside the nation. Additionally, sixteen Iranian missiles were downed by their air defenses, one of which fell into the ocean.

Watch The Video:

Iran’s Retaliatory Strikes Across the Gulf

Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran conducted several strikes against Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Since the start of US-Israeli operations, the UAE claims that 238 ballistic missiles have been fired against its territory, of which 221 have been destroyed and only two have reached their target. Fifteen missiles were found in UAE airspace on Monday, but none of them made landfall there.

On Saturday, drone attacks hit two of Dubai’s upscale areas. One man was killed, and debris from the drones destroyed residential skyscrapers. Smoke rose from the 88-storey 23 Marina tower near Dubai Marina after debris from an intercepted drone crashed the building. A Pakistani driver was also killed when material from a strike on the 19-storey Azayez Tower in Al Barsha fell on his vehicle. Following a massive explosion triggered by a suspected drone strike that forced people off planes, Dubai International Airport was temporarily shuttered.

UAE Responds While Seeking to Avoid Escalation

As its main defense against the attacks, the UAE Air Force has used Mirage 2000-9 aircraft and F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons. Iranian Shahed drones were destroyed by fighter-launched missiles over desert and coastal regions in footage made public by the defense ministry earlier this month.

The UAE Foreign Ministry highlighted avoiding a sustained conflict, which could damage the country’s tourism and investment reputation. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised for targeting Gulf neighbours, stating attacks would stop unless the countries were used as bases against Iran.