UAE F-16 firing missile at Iranian drone

Beachgoers in Dubai witnessed a dramatic moment up close as a fighter jet chased down and shot an Iranian drone right above them.According to reports, a UAE Air Force F-16 fired what appeared to be an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile to destroy the UAV, reportedly a Shahed-136 attack drone.The Sidewinder is a heat-seeking air-to-air missile designed for close-range engagements.The location was said to be Dubai’s Al Mamzar Beach.In one of the footages, a person—presumably Indian or Pakistani—can be heard narrating the interception.“Just spotted live drones… one was intercepted, not this one,” he can be heard saying. When the F-16 appeared, it was initially mistaken for another drone before the person corrected the others.The fighter jet then pursued the UAV, fired the missile, and shot down the drone.“It’s been hit, wow! Live fight—this is a live fight, man, oh my God! This was insane, live action,” he added, before later assuring someone else not to worry as the “action is over.”Iran has launched attacks on several Gulf states hosting United States military bases in retaliation for the joint US–Israeli strikes on Iran that marked the beginning of the Middle East conflict on February 28. As a result, the UAE has also been drawn into the conflict.The Islamic Republic’s missiles and drones have targeted multiple locations across the Gulf, including sites in the UAE that host US forces, prompting widespread interceptions by regional air defence systems.