Dubai Abu Dhabi news highlights: Dubai Airport temporarily suspends operations after fire nearby, Iran's threat

The UAE ministry of defence said in a statement on X that its air defences were “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,” it added.

The siren has been sounded in Bahrain.

“Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the Bahraini ministry of interior said in a statement on X.

IndiGo has already suspended operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah until March 28.

The Saraya Awliyaa al-Dam group says it carried out the attacks in response to the US and Israel’s killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the deaths of its fighters.

The attacks included a US site in the northern city of Erbil and at the Victoria Base at the Baghdad airport, it added.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told MS NOW that the U.S. attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island from two locations in the UAE, Ras Al-Khaimah and a place “very close to Dubai,” calling that dangerous and saying Iran “will try to be careful not to attack any populated area” there.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered the arrest and urgent trial of 10 people of various nationalities for publishing video clips on social media platforms containing misleading and fabricated content amid regional tensions due to the war in Iran.

In a statement released by the country's official news agency Wam, UAE Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the action follows the continuous monitoring of digital platforms amid regional developments. The attorney-general did not reveal the nationalities of the accused.

"Such events have been exploited to disseminate misinformation intended to deliberately mislead the public while undermining national security, order and stability," he said.

Formula One’s governing body, FIA, on Saturday said the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not take place in April due to the ongoing situation in West Asia.

Dubai is scrambling to preserve its image as a safe haven despite Iran's onslaught, with influencers rallying behind the government's message as authorities crack down on those sharing footage of strikes.

For decades, the Gulf was seen as an oasis of safety in a tumultuous Middle East, with the United Arab Emirates branding itself the world's safest country and boasting of its very low crime rates.

But that image has now been shattered.

Iran has fired over 1,800 missiles and drones at the Emirates, more than any other country targeted by Tehran in the conflict, upending its aura of tranquillity despite its air defence intercepting a vast majority of the projectiles.

Dubai-based influencers have shown support for the government and invoked a sense of national belonging, hammering home the message that the country is as safe as ever.

The US State Department has directed all non-emergency government employees and their family members to depart Oman immediately due to “safety risks.” The move underscores growing security concerns in the region, with officials urging American citizens in Oman to stay alert and follow government guidance.

The Kuwaiti National Guard says it has shot down five drones in the past 24 hours.

Earlier, Kuwaiti authorities said drones struck facilities at the Kuwait International Airport, damaging part of the airport’s radar system. They also said two missiles struck the perimeter of Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base, wounding three soldiers.

A Saudi Ministry of Defence spokesman said on Thursday that three drones were successfully intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Province.

IndiGo has announced changes in its flight schedule due to restricted operations in Dubai.

“Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations have been further restricted in Dubai, leading to changes in flight schedules,” the carrier wrote on X.

“Customers travelling to/from Dubai are requested to check their flight status at http://bit.ly/31paVKQ before leaving for the airport. We are also sending out notifications to keep customers informed of the latest updates,” it added.

Abu Dhabi authorities responded to an incident at a facility in the Ruwais Industrial Complex following a drone strike.

According to Abu Dhabi Media Office, relevant teams have contained the resulting fire and brought it under control, with cooling operations currently underway. No injuries were reported.

The public is urged to obtain information from official sources only and to refrain from spreading rumours or unverified information.

The United Arab Emirates has the right to defend itself against Iran's ongoing strikes but chooses restraint, a senior UAE official has said, as Tehran continues its retaliatory attacks across the Gulf.

"The UAE has the right to defend itself against this imposed terrorist aggression, but it is still prioritising reason and logic, continuing to exercise restraint and seeking a way out for Iran and the region," presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said late Saturday on X.

The UAE "made sincere efforts until the very last moment to mediate between Washington and Tehran to avoid this war", he wrote.

The Dubai Media office said on X early on Sunday that the sounds heard in Marina and Al Sufouh areas resulted from successful air defence interceptions.