The president of the United Arab Emirates said his nation was in a time of war but was well and told his enemies it was no easy prey in his first public comments since Iran launched missiles at its Gulf neighbour amid U.S.-Israeli strikes.

"The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh - we are no easy prey," Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also ruler of Abu Dhabi, said on Friday (March 6) when visiting those injured in strikes, aired on Abu Dhabi TV on Saturday (March 7).

"We will carry out our duty towards our country, our people, and our residents who are also part of our family," he said.

The UAE, which consists of seven emirates including Dubai, would protect everyone in the country, he added.

Israel and Iran traded attacks as the Middle East war entered a second week on Saturday, while Tehran made an unusual apology to neighbouring states, apparently seeking to calm regional anger at Iranian strikes on Gulf civilian targets.

An Emirati official said on Saturday (March 7) that the United Arab Emirates wanted the Iranian aggression against non-combatant states, the Gulf states, to end immediately.