DUBAI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Friday that its air defense systems intercepted two ballistic missiles and three drones launched from Iran, resulting in three moderate injuries.

According to a military statement, the air defense systems have intercepted 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,263 drones since the onset of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict in late February.

Those incoming threats have so far injured 230 people of multiple nationalities in the UAE, it said.

The UAE remains fully prepared to confront any threats and safeguard its sovereignty, security and stability, it added.

Earlier in the day, the ministry issued a statement saying that its air defense systems were actively engaging incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, and that the sounds heard across parts of the country resulted from interception operations.

The development came amid fresh tensions between the UAE and Iran over renewed missile and drone strikes on the UAE and stern warnings from Tehran against aligning with the United States and Israel. The UAE has accused Iran of launching the strikes, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.

Iran, the United States, and Israel reached a ceasefire on April 8 after 40 days of fighting that started with U.S.-Israeli joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, prompting Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel and U.S. interests in the Middle East.

Despite the ceasefire, new flare-ups between the warring parties were reported late Thursday around the Strait of Hormuz as well as in several Iranian cities.