Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said that Qatari fighter jets intercepted an Emirati civilian aircraft during its scheduled flight to Bahrain early Monday, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

This incident affects the safety of air traffic, the GCAA said, stressing that the state will take "all necessary legal measures to ensure the safety and security of civil air traffic."

On Friday, Qatar submitted a complaint to the United Nations (UN) concerning an alleged violation of its airspace by an Emirati military aircraft on 21 December 2017, but the UAE denied the incident.

UAE-Qatar relations continue to be tense following the political dispute, which commenced in June 2017, when several Arab and GCC states cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar after accusing it of supporting terrorism.