PM Imran Khan calls UAE crown prince, condemns Houthi attacks

• PM Imran Khan stresses need to control attacks perpetuated by the Yemeni Houthi militia.
• Premier offers condolences to families of victims and prays for speedy recovery of injured, according to statement by PM's office. 
• "The prime minister expressed solidarity with the leadership, government, and people of the United Arab Emirates," per statement. 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed to condemn the attack on an oil factory by Yemeni Houthi militia and stressed the need to control the attacks that destroy regional peace.

During the telephonic conversation, the premier "strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack by Houthi militia on civil facilities in Abu Dhabi,” a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

The premier offered condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, per the statement. 

The prime minister expressed solidarity with the leadership, government, and people of the United Arab Emirates and called the attack unacceptable.

The crown prince thanked and appreciated PM Imran Khan for showing his sincere feelings towards the people of UAE. He further offered condolences on the demise of the Pakistani citizen in the attack.  

Three, including a Pakistani man, dead in UAE drone attack

On Monday, three fuel trucks exploded, killing three people, and a fire broke out near Abu Dhabi airport in what Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group said was an attack deep inside the United Arab Emirates.

The Houthi movement, which is battling a Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE, has frequently launched cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia but has claimed few such attacks on the UAE, mostly denied by Emirati authorities.

Three people were killed and six wounded when three fuel tanker trucks exploded in the industrial Musaffah area near storage facilities of oil firm ADNOC, state news agency WAM said. It said those killed were two Indians and a Pakistani.

Unverified footage on social media showed a thick plume of black smoke billowing from what appeared to be the Musaffah area.

"Initial investigations found parts of a small plane that could possibly be a drone at both sites that could have caused the explosion and the fire," Abu Dhabi police said in a statement, adding there was no "significant damage".

The Houthi's military spokesman said the group launched a military operation "deep in the UAE" and would announce details in the coming hours. 

The move could heighten tensions between the UAE and Iran after outreach to Tehran by Abu Dhabi to avoid any regional conflict that could hurt the OPEC producer's economic ambitions.