Iran-backed Yemeni fighters launched drone strikes on the United Arab Emirates that caused explosions and a deadly fire outside the capital, Abu Dhabi, ratcheting up security risks in the major oil-exporting region at a critical time.One of the biggest attacks to date on UAE soil ignited a fire at Abu Dhabi’s main international airport on Monday and set fuel tanker trucks ablaze in a nearby industrial area. It took place days after Yemen’s Houthi fighters warned Abu Dhabi against intensifying its air campaign against them.Crude extended gains to the highest level in seven years on Tuesday after the assaults in the UAE, OPEC’s third biggest oil producer.Iran’s longtime support of the Houthis means the incidents could roil regional diplomatic efforts to ease frictions and separate talks to restore Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.The attack underscores the threat against regional civilian and energy infrastructure, said Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.“Reports of damage to fuel trucks and storage will concern oil market watchers, who are also keeping a close eye on the trajectory of ongoing nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran,” he said. “With negotiators running out of time, the risk of a deterioration in the region’s security climate is rising.”https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news