Abu Dhabi reports fires on three petroleum trucks, as Houthis claim attack in UAE

Three trucks transporting fuel in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi caught fire Jan. 17 in what police said could have been drone attacks.

The vehicles caught fire near storage tanks for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co in the Mussaffah industrial zone of Abu Dhabi, the emirate's police said in the statement carried by the state-run WAM news agency..

Another small fire also occurred in an area in Abu Dhabi International Airport, the police added. No significant damage was reported from either site, and an investigation has begun into the causes.

"Preliminary investigations suggest that the cause of the fires are small flying objects, possibly belonging to drones, that fell in the two areas," the police said. "Teams from the competent authorities have been dispatched and the fire is currently being put out."

The fires came as Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed "an important military operation" in an unspecified area of the UAE.

Yahya Sare'e, the Houthis' military spokesman, said on Twitter that more details would be announced in the coming hours.