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

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Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Here are the key points:

• A drone-related incident sparked a fire near Dubai's international airport, city authorities said on Monday. Flights have been temporarily suspended.
• The UAE has ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for publishing video clips on social media platforms that contained misleading and fabricated content.
• Iran's Media Operations Center on Monday urged Dubai and Doha residents to evacuate immediately even as it announced an attack at specific areas in coming hours.
• Saudi low-cost airline Flynas said that flights from and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria will remain suspended due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Jaishankar discussed the West Asia situation with Nahyan.
• Indian carrier IndiGo on Sunday announced further flight restrictions to and from Dubai. According to IndiGo, due to the development, some flights scheduled to operate between March 15 and 17 have been affected.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: “Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announces the temporary suspension of flights at Dubai International Airport as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff. Travellers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding their flights. Further updates will be announced through official channels as soon as they become available,” the Dubai Media Office posted on X.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A drone-related incident sparked a fire near Dubai's international airport, city authorities said on Monday.

"Authorities are currently responding to a fire resulting from a drone-related incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport," the Dubai Media Office posted on X.

"All necessary measures are being taken to ensure everyone's safety," it added.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call from Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, Prime Minister of Iraq, during which they discussed developments in the region and their serious repercussions on its security and stability, in addition to the Iranian attacks targeting the UAE and several countries in the region.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: In a post on X, the Dubai Media Office confirmed a fire near the Dubai International Airport, which it said broke out due to a drone-related incident.

“Authorities are currently responding to a fire resulting from a drone-related incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport. All necessary measures are being taken to ensure everyone’s safety,” Dubai Media Office said in a social media post.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: There was a fire incident resulting from a drone attack in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport. The incident was confirmed by Dubai Media Office.

The attacks comes shortly after Iranian state TV warned of an attack on specific targets in Dubai and Doha.

West Asia conflict: French President Emmanuel Macron said he had told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian it was "unacceptable" to target French interests, after an Iranian-designed drone killed a French soldier in Iraq's Kurdistan region.

“I called on him to put an immediate end to the unacceptable attacks Iran is carrying out against countries in the region, whether directly or through proxies, including in Lebanon and Iraq. I reminded him that France is acting within a strictly defensive framework aimed at protecting its interests, its regional partners, and freedom of navigation, and that it is unacceptable for our country to be targeted,” Macron said in a post on X.

“The unchecked escalation we are witnessing is plunging the entire region into chaos, with major consequences today and for the years to come. The people of Iran, like those across the region, are paying the price,” he added.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The UAE has ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for publishing video clips on social media platforms that contained misleading and fabricated content.

The UAE official news agency Wam said the accused have been referred for an expedited trial.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran's Media Operations Center on Monday urged Dubai and Doha residents to evacuate immediately even as it announced an attack at specific areas in coming hours. The Iranian report claimed that US military personnel were hiding in those locations in Doha and Dubai, according to state-owned Press TV.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran’s Press TV has warned residents in parts of Dubai and Doha of possible attacks in the coming hours. The attack comes amid Tehran vowing retaliation against US attacks on Kharg Island.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi low-cost airline Flynas said that flights from and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria will remain suspended due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Jaishankar discussed the West Asia situation with Nahyan. “Spoke last night to DPM & FM Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE. Exchanged views on various aspects of the regional situation,” he said in a post on X.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Amid the evolving situation in West Asia, Indian carrier IndiGo on Sunday announced further flight restrictions to and from Dubai.

According to IndiGo, due to the development, some flights scheduled to operate between March 15 and 17 have been affected.

"Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations in Dubai have been further restricted, leading to changes in flight schedules. As a result, some flights scheduled to operate between 15-17 March have been affected," the airline said in a statement.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The World Health Organisation (WHO) is increasing support to countries affected by the conflict. The UN health body said it is releasing $2 million in emergency funds to support the health responses in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.

"These resources are from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, thanks to the support of donors," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General"

"The funds will help strengthen emergency coordination, trauma care, disease surveillance and ensure access to essential medicines and medical supplies. As casualties rise, so do attacks on health care, which are increasing the burden on the health systems at a time when they are most needed."

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: A day after being hit by drone debris and enduring a fire, the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah port resumed its oil-loading operations on Sunday, Bloomberg and Reuters reported, citing sources.

The Fujairah port is a major global hub for ship re-fuelling and for crude and fuel exports. Located just outside the Strait of Hormuz, it is of great importance to the global oil market. Read more here.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: As the conflict escalates between US-Israel and Iran, rockets targeted a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport. More details are awaited.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said governments have committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil from government stocks, 116.6 million barrels from obligated industry stocks, and 23.6 million barrels from other sources.

The world enrgy body further stated that members in the Americas will make 172.2 million barrels available amid the blockade in the Strait of Hormiz.

Out of the planned releases, the statement from IEA added that 72 per cent are crude oil, while 28 per cent are oil products.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in a video on X on Sunday, March 15, to directly address rumours that he'd been killed. A cup in hand at a cafe, he says in between sips, “They say I'm what?”.

Speaking in Hebrew, he goes on to flash his hands to show he has five fingers, and not six as was theorised by social media users who said his earlier video was “AI-generated”. Watch the video here

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: Amid the attacks on US bases in the gulf region, the latest reports claim an Italian base in Kuwait was hit in a drone attack. The base was holding members from Italy and the US.

"This morning, Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait was the target of a drone attack that hit a shelter housing a remotely piloted aircraft of the Italian Task Force Air (TFA), which was destroyed," Chief of the Defence General Staff, General Luciano Portolano, said in a statement posted by the military on X. Follow LIVE updates on the US-Iran war here

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: In a warning of starting a wider conflict, Iran sent a stern message to its Arab neighbours, telling them that the Islamic republic has what its foreign minister called "ample evidence" that US bases on their territories were being used to launch attacks.

"This war will end when we are certain that it will not be repeated and that reparations will be paid," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Arabic-language news platform Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: SpiceJet on Sunday announced that while it will operate special flights from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to India, its operations to Dubai have been restricted

SpiceJet further said that flight operations to/from Dubai have been further restricted, which may result in changes to flight schedules.

In a post on X, it said, "Travel Update: Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations to/from Dubai have been further restricted, which may result in changes to flight schedules. We are actively communicating the passengers about the changes via SMS/Email on the registered contact details. Passengers are advised to check their flight status via https://spicejet.com/#status before leaving for the airport, and can contact our 24x7 Reservation Helpline numbers at 91 (0)124 4983410 or 91 (0)124 7101600 for any immediate assistance."

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Indian external affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar spoke with his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who also serves as the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE.

“Spoke last night to DPM & FM @ABZayed of UAE. Exchanged views on various aspects of the regional situation,” Jaishankar wrote on X.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: The UAE has brought back around 500 golden visa holders and stranded residents amid the US-Israel and Iran war.

As per an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) worked together to ensure their return.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: An Indian-flagged vessel loaded with 80,800 metric tons of United Arab Emirates' Murban oil, sailed for India on Sunday from Fujairah.

As per a report by Reuters, oil loading operations at the UAE's Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub and crude export terminal, had resumed after a drone attack and fire on Saturday, said sources.