March 08, (THEWILL) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday, successfully intercepted 16 ballistic missiles and 113 drones launched from Iran, the country’s Defence Ministry confirmed, as Pope Leo and world leaders urged an immediate end to escalating violence across the Middle East.
In a statement, the ministry said another ballistic missile fell into the sea while four drones crashed within UAE territory without causing major damage. Since the start of what it described as “blatant Iranian aggression”, a total of 238 ballistic missiles have been detected, with 221 successfully intercepted.
Meanwhile, 1,422 Iranian drones were identified, 1,342 of which were shot down, and eight cruise missiles have also been destroyed.
This is coming less than 24 hours after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologised to neighbouring countries over his country’s recent barrage of missile and drone attacks across the region. In a prerecorded address aired on state television, Pezeshkian said Tehran would halt attacks on regional countries and expressed regret for the strikes.
The attacks have raised international concern that the conflict could spread further, destabilising the wider region.
During the Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo condemned the violence, highlighting the fear and hatred it was fueling and warning that other countries, including “dear Lebanon”, could be drawn into the conflict.
“Let us raise our humble prayer to the Lord that the roar of bombs may cease, that weapons may fall silent, and that space may be opened for dialogue in which the voices of peoples can be heard”, the Pope said, urging all parties to seek peaceful solutions.
European leaders have also criticised recent military actions against Iran. Swiss Defence Minister, Martin Pfister, said the strikes by the US and Israel violated international law, emphasising that all parties must halt fighting to protect civilians.
“The Americans and Israel have attacked Iran from the air. In doing so, they, like Iran, violated international law”, Pfister stated.
German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister, Lars Klingbeil, echoed these concerns, questioning the legality of the war and warning against sliding into a world “where only the law of the strongest applies”. Spain has also denounced the US and Israeli bombings as reckless and illegal, while experts note that these strikes likely contravene the UN Charter’s prohibition on aggression.
As the UAE continues to rely on its air defence systems to protect its territory, global leaders are calling for urgent diplomacy to prevent further escalation and restore stability to the region.
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