Dubai, Abu Dhabi News highlights: Operations suspended at UAE's gas facility after missile interception
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news: A loud bang was heard in Dubai as authorities confirmed successful air interceptions with no injuries. An Iranian projectile also struck near Australia’s Middle East military headquarters in the UAE, though no injuries were reported, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news highlights: In the UAE, authorities said they were responding to incidents at the Habshan gas facilities and at the Bab oil field caused by falling debris from intercepted missiles....Read More
The gas facilities were shut down and no injuries were reported, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
The Habshan complex, operated by Abu Dhabi state oil giant ADNOC, is one of the world's largest gas processing facilities, comprising five plants with a total capacity of 6.1 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd), according to ADNOC.
Missiles and drones continued to target United Arab Emirates and others parts of the Gulf on Wednesday as the US-Israeli war with Iran entered the 20th day.
Iran's retaliatory strikes in response to the February 28 US-Israeli operation that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rattled the entire Gulf, with drones, missiles as well as warnings being exchanged from both the sides.
Key points
- A loud bang was heard in Dubai, while authorities confirmed all air interception operations were successful with no injuries.
-Among the major latest interceptions and targets, an Iranian projectile struck near Australia’s Middle East military headquarters in the UAE, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
-Loud explosions were heard across Dubai early Wednesday as Iran continued retaliatory strikes targeting Gulf countries, alongside a fresh barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Israel and the region.
-Authorities in Dubai said air defence systems were activated in response to incoming Iranian missile and drone threats, adding that the UAE has faced over 2,000 such attacks since the conflict began.
-Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a ballistic missile near Prince Sultan Air Base and downed eight drones, while Kuwait responded to a rocket and drone attack. Qatar also said it intercepted a missile as blasts were heard in Doha.
-Several loud explosions were reported in Baghdad on Tuesday evening, AFP reported, as a security official confirmed a drone and rocket attack targeting the US embassy.
-Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Al-Kharj, with debris falling near Prince Sultan Air Base, home to US personnel, without causing damage, as Iran continued strikes on Gulf nations.
UAE response on Iran attacks
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a series of calls with foreign ministers and senior officials to discuss escalating regional developments and the fallout of Iran’s missile attacks targeting the UAE and other countries.
A senior adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, has said Iran misjudged its strikes on the UAE and other Gulf states, warning that the attacks are driving the region closer to Israel and the United States.
Gargash said the UAE is weighing a role alongside the US in safeguarding oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“I can see us playing a role with other countries in ensuring the safety and security of the Strait of Hormuz,” Gargash told Bloomberg. “This is the responsibility not only of the United States, but of countries in Asia, countries in the region, countries in Europe,” he added.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 06:33:32 AM IST
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- 19 Mar 2026, 06:30:54 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE on Iran's gas field attack
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The UAE has called Iran attacks targeting its Habshan gas facility and Bab field 'a dangerous escalation.'
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- 19 Mar 2026, 05:59:58 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Projectile hits a vessel off UAE, near Strait of Hormuz
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Projectile reported hit a vessel off UAE, near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, AFP reported citing UK maritime agency.
Earlier UAE reported about responding to missile threats from Iran and warned the country against targeting energy infrastructure.
- 19 Mar 2026, 05:40:03 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: After Qatar, Abu Dhabi on Iran's target, gas facility operations halted
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The Habshan gas facilities in Abu Dhabi have been shut down following an incident caused by debris from recently intercepted missiles, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
Authorities are also responding to incidents at the Bab oilfield and gas facilities, the office added.
"Operations at the gas facilities have been suspended, and no injuries have been reported," the media office confirmed.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 05:26:19 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi Arabia says it reserves right to military action after Iran attacks
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE on Thursday said that an attack on its energy infrastructure threatens regional stability and global energy security.
Earlier, Operations were suspended at the United Arab Emirates' Habshan gas facility as authorities responded to two incidents of fallen debris after the successful interception of a missile, Abu Dhabi's media office said on Thursday.
- 19 Mar 2026, 05:02:05 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE calls Iran attack on its gas facilities as ‘dangerous escalation’
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The UAE Foreign Ministry has called Iran’s attack on its gas facilities and oil field a “dangerous escalation” and a breach of international law, warning that targeting energy infrastructure threatens regional stability and global energy security.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 04:54:35 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Operations suspended at UAE's Habshan gas facility following missile interception
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Operations were suspended at the United Arab Emirates' Habshan gas facility as authorities responded to two incidents of fallen debris after the successful interception of a missile, Abu Dhabi's media office said on Thursday.
Bab oil field was also targeted, the office added. No injuries were reported.
- 19 Mar 2026, 04:42:02 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil and Gas Prices Surge as Iran Attacks Major LNG Plant
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil and European natural gas prices surged as Iran carried out an attack on a major LNG site in Qatar, after earlier warnings from Tehran on threats to energy facilities across the Gulf.
Brent oil climbed 3.8% to settle at $107.38 a barrel on Wednesday, while Europe’s gas benchmark jumped 6%, according to data from ICE Futures Europe. The earlier warnings sparked the gains in gas, and US crude extended gains in post-settlement trading on news of the attack, Bloomberg reported.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 04:16:36 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Qatar declares Iranian military, security attaches ‘persona non grata’
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Qatar has declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, "persona non grata" and has requested that they leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official note to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State, stating that Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices "persona non grata", and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of (24) hours," an official statement from MFA Qatar read.
- 19 Mar 2026, 03:55:49 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Qatar Reports Extensive Damage at World’s Largest LNG Plant
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A Qatari complex housing the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant suffered “extensive damage” after a missile strike, hours after Iran threatened energy facilities across the Persian Gulf.
The Ras Laffan Industrial City was hit by an Iranian missile after four others were intercepted, authorities said late Wednesday. The site hosts facilities including the LNG plant, which typically accounts for about a fifth of global supply. Production there was already halted after an Iranian drone attack earlier this month.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 03:45:20 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Operations suspended at UAE's Habshan gas facility following missile interception
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Operations were suspended at the United Arab Emirates' Habshan gas facility as authorities responded to two incidents of fallen debris after the successful interception of a missile, Abu Dhabi's media office said on Thursday.
Bab oil field was also targeted, the office added. No injuries were reported.
- 19 Mar 2026, 03:35:50 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Abu Dhabi dealing with 2 incidents of fallen debris
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Abu Dhabi Media Office said authorities are dealing with two incidents of fallen debris following the successful interception of missiles targeting the Habshan gas facility and Bab oil field. It added that no injuries have been reported in the incidents.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 03:16:27 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah says it will temporarily suspend attacks on US embassy
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah said on Wednesday it would suspend attacks on the U.S. embassy for five days with conditions.
The conditions listed by the group in a statement included Israel's halt of displacing and striking residents of Beirut's southern suburbs and a commitment to not shelling residential areas in Baghdad and other provinces.
- 19 Mar 2026, 02:52:56 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Air India, AI Express to operate 48 West Asia flights on Thursday
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Airlines are operating flights in a calibrated manner to the conflict-ridden West Asia, with Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo on Wednesday deciding to resume services to Dubai while services to a few other cities in the region remain suspended.
Air India and Air India Express will operate 48 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from West Asia on March 19 (Thursday).
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- 19 Mar 2026, 02:35:52 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE responds to missile threat from Iran
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Emirati air defence was countering a missile threat Wednesday, authorities said, as Iran hit a major Qatar gas facility after threatening others across the Gulf following a US-Israeli attack on its own infrastructure.
"UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the air defence systems intercepting missiles and drones," the ministry of defence said.
- 19 Mar 2026, 01:04:04 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE says air defences responding to new missile threat
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Emirati air defence was countering a missile threat Wednesday, authorities said, as Iran hit a major Qatar gas facility after threatening others across the Gulf following a US-Israeli attack on its own infrastructure.
"UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the air defence systems intercepting missiles and drones," the ministry of defence said.
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- 19 Mar 2026, 12:31:56 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Fire in Qatar's Ras Laffan area after Iranian attack
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Qatar's interior ministry said on Wednesday that civil defence personnel are dealing with a fire in the Ras Laffan area after an Iranian attack.
Iran earlier issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, including the Ras Laffan Refinery, saying they would be targeted by strikes "in the coming hours", Iranian state media reported.
- 19 Mar 2026, 12:12:10 AM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Second wave of explosions heard in Riyadh
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A second round of loud explosions rang out over Riyadh on Wednesday, AFP journalists reported, after authorities previously said they intercepted four ballistic missiles headed towards the Saudi capital.
The Gulf kingdom has been regularly targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks since the Middle East war began, including some aimed at its massive energy installations and the capital's diplomatic quarter. Iran had threatened earlier on Wednesday to target regional energy facilities.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 11:52:21 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi says destroyed drone headed towards gas plant
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi Arabia said it destroyed a drone headed towards a gas plant on Wednesday, as Iran threatened to attack Gulf energy infrastructure in retaliation for a US-Israeli strike on its own facilities.
"A drone attempting to approach a gas factory in the Eastern Province was intercepted and destroyed; the interception and destruction operation resulted in no damage," the Saudi defence ministry said.
- 18 Mar 2026, 11:31:46 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran threatens Gulf energy targets after huge gas field is struck
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran's huge Pars gas field was hit on Wednesday, a major escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war, prompting Tehran to announce it would respond with attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the Gulf.
Oil prices shot up after the attack in a conflict that has already halted shipping from the world's most important energy-producing region and could now bring lasting damage to its infrastructure. Benchmark Brent crude prices rose around 5% to above $108. Stock markets veered lower.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 10:47:00 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Drone intercepted near Baghdad airport Dubai
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A drone was intercepted near Baghdad airport on March 18, Al Jazeera reported.
- 18 Mar 2026, 10:45:31 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE response on Iran attacks
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a series of calls with foreign ministers and senior officials to discuss escalating regional developments and the fallout of Iran’s missile attacks targeting the UAE and other countries.
A senior adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, has said Iran misjudged its strikes on the UAE and other Gulf states, warning that the attacks are driving the region closer to Israel and the United States.
Gargash said the UAE is weighing a role alongside the US in safeguarding oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“I can see us playing a role with other countries in ensuring the safety and security of the Strait of Hormuz,” Gargash told Bloomberg. “This is the responsibility not only of the United States, but of countries in Asia, countries in the region, countries in Europe,” he added.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 09:58:47 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Two big explosions heard in Saudi capital
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Two big explosions heard in Saudi capital, news agency AP reported on Wednesday.
- 18 Mar 2026, 09:57:18 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Missiles launched from Iran towards Israel; Qatar condemns strike on South Pars gas facilities in Iran
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Missiles were launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, Israel's military said, as tensions escalated following reported strikes on energy infrastructure linked to Iran's major gas field, according to Al Jazeera.
The Israeli military said missiles had been fired from Iran towards its territory, in the latest developments in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries.
Earlier, Iran issued an evacuation warning to people living near oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report cited by Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, a fire that broke out at Iran's South Pars gas facility has been brought under control, and no casualties have been reported so far, a regional governor said, according to Iran's Fars news agency as cited by Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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- 18 Mar 2026, 09:41:42 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE condemns targeting of South Pars gas field, after Iran blames US, Israel
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE on Wednesday condemned the targeting of the South Pars gas field after Iran blamed the US and Israel.
- 18 Mar 2026, 09:39:45 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: 1,000 Indians still in Iran, 23,000 students in Gulf could not appear in CBSE exams : MEA to Par panel
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Nearly 1,000 Indians are still in Iran amidst the ongoing conflict in West Asia while 23,000 school students based in Gulf region could not appear in the CBSE final examinations due to the turmoil.
This was conveyed by the Ministry of External Affairs to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs at a meeting held here on Wednesday.
"Well, there are about 1,000 still in Iran, but not all of them necessarily wish to leave," chairman of the panel Shashi Tharoor told reporters here after the meeting.
The Congress leader said Class 10 and Class 12 students based in Gulf region have not been able to write their ongoing CBSE final examinations.
"I asked if there could be any steps taken to address their plight. And I gathered that there has already been consultations between the MEA and the Ministry of Education about ensuring that CBSE makes remedial arrangements for 23,000 students in the Gulf who could not write the exams," he said.
Tharoor said the meeting had comprehensive discussions on West Asia and all attendee MPs had questions and concerns about the overall situation, the impact, the safety and security of Indian nationals, the diaspora, the oil and gas supplies, etc.
"We got some answers. We didn't get all. The foreign secretary was not available," he said.
Sources said the members asked questions related to "India's silence" on condemning the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and "condoling deaths of civilians" but no answer came from the MEA officials. (PTI)
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- 18 Mar 2026, 09:16:47 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Tehran warns Gulf energy installations after oil industry facilities hit in southern Iran
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Facilities belonging to Iran's oil industry in South Pars and Asaluyeh were attacked on Wednesday, Iranian state media said, prompting Tehran to warn that it would target energy installations across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Oil prices jumped on the news, with Brent crude futures gaining more than 6% to a session high just shy of $110 per barrel. Analysts have warned that any attack in South Pars would raise the possibility of retaliatory attacks by Iran on Gulf energy facilities including those belonging to oil majors in Qatar.
Qatar called it an Israeli attack without mentioning any US role. The Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson called it a "dangerous and irresponsible" escalation that put global energy security at risk. (Reuters)
- 18 Mar 2026, 09:09:34 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel steps up Beirut strikes, hits bridges in south Lebanon
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel stepped up airstrikes on Beirut on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and destroying a 10-storey building near the city centre in the third week of its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Lebanese authorities said.
In a further escalation, Israeli warplanes began striking bridges over the Litani River that link southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, destroying at least two of them, Lebanese state media said. The Israeli military said it would target bridges on the Litani to prevent Hezbollah transferring fighters and weapons, and reiterated a warning for residents to leave the south.
The Hezbollah-Israel conflict has become the deadliest spillover of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran since the Iran-backed group fired at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, with more than 900 people killed in Lebanon and 1 million displaced. (Reuters)
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- 18 Mar 2026, 09:07:53 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE urges avoiding targeting vital facilities, stresses adherence to international law
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE urges avoiding targeting vital facilities, stresses adherence to international law, Reuters reported.
- 18 Mar 2026, 08:39:44 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE issues safety alert after intercepting Iranian missile, drone threats
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Authorities in the UAE issued a safety alert after initially assuring residents the situation was under control following incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
The Ministry of Defence said air defence systems engaged and intercepted the threats, prompting mobile alerts and advisories for residents to remain in safe locations.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 08:25:34 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Indigo resumes Dubai flight operations
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: IndiGo has announced the resumption of flight operations to and from Dubai following the latest update from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.
- 18 Mar 2026, 08:12:13 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran President confirms intelligence minister Esmail Khatib ‘assassinated’
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran has confirmed that Intelligence minister Esmail Khatib was killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday. Taking to X, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the “cowardly assassination” and offered his condolences.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 07:46:50 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israeli strike kills 4 in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: At least four people were killed after Israeli forces struck four houses in Sahmar, a town in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, Al Jazeera reported.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 912 people and wounded 2,221 others.
- 18 Mar 2026, 07:39:13 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Dubai confirms successful air interceptions, no injuries reported
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: “Authorities in Dubai confirm the success of all air interception operations, with no injuries reported,” the Dubai Media Office said on X.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 07:36:45 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran issues evacuation warning near oil sites in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Tensions in the Gulf region appear to be rising further, with Iran reportedly issuing a warning to people living close to major oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, Al Jazeera reported.
- 18 Mar 2026, 06:09:33 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE restricts open-air namaz ahead of Eid al-Fitr; prayers to be held inside mosques
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE restricts open-air namaz ahead of Eid al-Fitr; prayers to be held inside mosques
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- 18 Mar 2026, 05:49:13 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel, US hit Iranian facility at major Gulf gas field, says Iranian state medDubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE:ia
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: US-Israeli strikes hit Iranian facilities at a major Gulf gas field on Wednesday causing a fire, Iranian state television reported.
"Moments ago, parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Asaluyeh were struck by projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy," state television reported, citing Ehsan Jahanian, the deputy governor of the southern Bushehr province, where the facility is located.
It added that firefighting teams were dispatched to the scene to contain the fire. (AFP)
- 18 Mar 2026, 05:36:19 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Tanker Jag Laadki carrying crude oil from UAE docks at Gujarat’s Mundra Port
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki docked at Gujarat’s Mundra Port on Wednesday, carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes of Murban crude oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid heightened tensions in West Asia, where the US-Israel attack on Iran has escalated into a regional conflict and disrupted critical supply chains.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 05:26:15 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Prayer timings across UAE announced
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: As preparations begin for Eid Al Fitr, authorities across the UAE have released prayer timings for different emirates, giving residents a clear schedule to plan their celebrations, according to a report by Khaleej Times.
Dubai timings
In Dubai, the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) has confirmed that Eid prayers will take place at 6:40am. All mosques across the emirate will host the prayers, and residents have been advised to head to the nearest mosque. To manage the large gatherings, Dubai Police will oversee traffic arrangements to ensure smooth movement.
In the capital, timings vary slightly depending on the city. As per the Hijri calendar issued by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, prayers are expected at:
Abu Dhabi City: 6:43am
Al Ain: 6:37am
Zayed City: 6:47am
Slight variations across Northern Emirates
Other emirates will see prayer timings clustered within a narrow window, with only minor differences:
Sharjah region (as per Department of Islamic Affairs):
Sharjah and Al Hamriyah: 6:39am
Al Dhaid and Al Bataeh: 6:38am
Al Madam and Mleiha: 6:38am
Eastern Region: 6:37am
Ajman: Around 6:39am, broadly aligned with Sharjah
Umm Al Quwain: 6:39am
Ras Al Khaimah: 6:37am
Fujairah: 6:36am
- 18 Mar 2026, 05:00:53 PM IST
US-Iran news: Iran's state-run media report an attack on facilities at its key South Pars offshore gas field
US-Iran news: Iranian state-run media say that facilities associated with Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas field came under attack Wednesday.
Both Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency reported on the attack targeting facilities at Asaluyeh in Iran’s southern Bushehr province. It did not immediately elaborate.
Iran share the offshore field in the Persian Gulf with Qatar, which it has repeatedly attacked during the war along with other Gulf Arab nations.
It wasn’t clear if Israel or the United States had carried out the attack, however the U.S. has been operating primarily in southern Iran. (AP)
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- 18 Mar 2026, 04:55:19 PM IST
US-Iran news: Israel claims another top Iranian official killed while Iran's attacks kill 2 near Tel Aviv
US-Iran news: Israel said Wednesday it killed another top Iranian official, the third in two days, while Iran lashed out with attacks on its Persian Gulf neighbors and Israel, using some of its latest missiles to evade air defenses and killing two people near Tel Aviv as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in an overnight strike and promised that “significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all fronts,” without elaborating.
Iran did not immediately confirm Khatib's death. Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force on Tuesday.
- 18 Mar 2026, 04:43:23 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil slips as Iraq-Turkey export deal eases supply concerns
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil prices fell after Iraq struck a deal to resume exports via Turkey, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, while the US intensified efforts to reopen the crucial waterway.
Brent crude dropped below $101 a barrel after rising more than 3% on Tuesday, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $92.
Iraq agreed with Kurdistan to restart exports through a pipeline in the semi-autonomous region to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 04:31:48 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel strikes central Beirut as war expands
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israeli warplanes hit central Beirut in the early hours of Wednesday, destroying apartment buildings in some of the most intense airstrikes on the centre of the Lebanese capital for decades, an expansion of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
A day after killing Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani in the highest-level assassination since the supreme leader died on the war's first day, Israel said it had killed another top official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.
Iran confirmed the death of Larijani and retaliated by firing missiles with multiple warheads into Israel that Israeli authorities said killed two people near Tel Aviv.
- 18 Mar 2026, 03:49:14 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran’s intelligence minister Khatib killed, Says Israel Defense Minister Katz
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel’s defense minister claimed that Iran’s intelligence chief Khatib was killed in an overnight development, though further details remain unclear.
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- 18 Mar 2026, 03:34:54 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Building collapses in central Beirut after Israeli airstrike
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A building collapses in central Beirut after Israeli airstrike.
- 18 Mar 2026, 03:30:02 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: China supports UAE in safeguarding sovereignty, condemns attacks on civilians, infrastructure
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: China supports UAE in safeguarding sovereignty, condemns attacks on civilians, infrastructure
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- 18 Mar 2026, 03:21:13 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran lashes out with attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors as Israel hits Beirut
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran lashed out following the killing of one of its top officials in an airstrike with attacks on its Persian Gulf neighbors and Israel on Wednesday, using some of its latest missiles to evade air defenses and killing two people near Tel Aviv as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing.
Israel kept up intense pressure on Lebanon with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least a dozen people.
In Iran, the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a projectile the night before but there were no injuries and the plant suffered no damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency said after receiving a report from Tehran. The IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call “for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident.” (AP)
- 18 Mar 2026, 02:35:37 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE official says Iran war tightens Gulf ties to US, Israel
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A top adviser to the Emirati president says Iran miscalculated by attacking the UAE and other Persian Gulf states, driving them closer to Israel and the US while demonstrating why the region can’t accept Iranian nuclear and missile programs.
Dr. Anwar Gargash also said that the United Arab Emirates is considering joining the US in securing the Strait of Hormuz for oil shipments, adding that other countries in Asia and Europe should do the same.
President Donald Trump called for NATO and East Asian allies to join the US in helping to secure the strait, but most flatly rejected his entreaties. Trump started the joint US-Israeli bombing campaign Feb. 28 without consulting friendly nations. (Bloomberg)
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- 18 Mar 2026, 02:13:11 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil slips as Iraq-Turkey export deal eases supply concerns
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Oil prices fell after Iraq struck a deal to resume exports via Turkey, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, while the US intensified efforts to reopen the crucial waterway.
Brent crude dropped below $101 a barrel after rising more than 3% on Tuesday, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $92.
Iraq agreed with Kurdistan to restart exports through a pipeline in the semi-autonomous region to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
- 18 Mar 2026, 02:11:28 PM IST
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran strikes Gulf targets; Saudi downs missile, drones over Riyadh
Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran launched attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province as well as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE on Wednesday, escalating tensions across the Gulf.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a projectile sparked a small fire at a base near Dubai without causing injuries, likely linked to explosions near Al Minhad Air Base. Missile alerts later sounded in Dubai as interceptors were heard overhead.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a ballistic missile targeting Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US forces, and shot down two drones aimed at Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, home to the US Embassy and other foreign missions.
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