President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the country is effectively in a state of war amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. His first public address since the beginning of the crisis was published by Sky News Arabia.

“We are now living in a state of war. I promise to fulfill our obligations when it comes to protecting our country and its residents. I promise everyone that the UAE will emerge from this situation stronger,” the president said.

He also emphasized that he highly values the work of the country’s armed forces and their actions in ensuring the security of the state.

Earlier, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting missiles and drones launched by Iran.