Dubai Abu Dhabi news highlights: UAE Consulate in Iraq attacked; Trump says war 'close to end'

Swiss Airlines has announced that it is extending the suspension of flights to Dubai till March 15, while the flights to Tel Aviv will remain suspended till April 2.

CBSE on Monday postponed more Class 12 Board exams in parts of the Middle East.

“After a critical review of the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), mental agony of the students and the prevailing uncertainties, the Board has decided to postpone the examinations scheduled from 12 March 2026 (Thursday) to 16 March 2026 (Monday). The new dates shall be announced later,” CBSE said in its latest circular

“The Board will review the situation on 14 March 2026 (Saturday) and take appropriate decisions with regard to all remaining examinations scheduled from 16 March onwards. All students are advised to stay in touch with their schools for updates and follow official announcements carefully,” CBSE added.

Qatar's defence ministry announced that its armed forces had intercepted a missile attack "which targeted the state of Qatar."

Pakistani officials on Monday visited three of their nationals at Rashid Hospital in Dubai who were injured due to falling debris following the interception of Iranian missiles and drones.

Hussain Muhammad, consul general of Pakistan in Dubai, along with Community Welfare Attachés Imran Shahid and Junaid Murtaza, visited the hospital to inquire about the health and well-being of Pakistani nationals.

The officials met Pakistani nationals Insaram Ul Haq Shabbir, Khurram Iqbal and Sheraz Ahmed to offer their best wishes and prayed for their speedy recovery.

The UAE ministry of defence has said that Iranian attacks in the last 10 days resulted in 4 deaths of Pakistani, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi nationalities.

It also reveald that so far, “117 cases of minor injuries of Emirati, Egyptian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian, Turkish, Iraqi, Nepalese, Nigerian, Omani, Jordanian, and Palestinian nationalities” have also occured.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Monday that the country's air defences have so far detected 253 ballistic missiles since the start of the US-Iran war. According to the ministry, 233 of those ballistic missiles were destroyed, while 18 of them fell into the sea, and 2 missiles fell on the country's territory.

“Additionally, 1,440 Iranian drones were detected, and 1,359 of them were intercepted, while 81 drones fell within the country's territory, and 8 cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed,” the ministry said in a statement on X.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said in an X post on Monday that the country's air defences had so far intercepted 12 ballistic missiles and 17 drones in the day.

“UAE air defences detected today (March 9, 2026) 15 ballistic missiles, of which 12 ballistic missiles were destroyed, while 3 ballistic missiles fell into the sea. Additionally, 18 drones were detected, of which 17 drones were intercepted, while 1 drone fell within the country's territory,” the ministry said in a statement.

Oman Air said it set up an additional service desk to sell tickets inside the passenger terminal building at Muscat International Airport.

This aims to support guests “during this period”. Guests can book their tickets directly through this desk," the carrier said in a statement.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi Arabia has started reducing oil production as the near-blockage of the critical Strait of Hormuz starts filling up storage tanks, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The move by the kingdom, the world’s biggest oil exporter, follows the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq. The war in the Middle East has all but closed the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the open seas, to maritime traffic following Iranian threats to shipping. That’s clogged up exports from major producing countries, sending oil sharply higher and rippling through the global economy.

State-run Saudi Aramco declined to comment. (Bloomberg)

An Indian national in Israel was injured after shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck him in the neck, officials said on Monday.

The man, who was injured on Sunday, underwent surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv and is now in stable condition.

"He arrived yesterday in critical condition with a neck injury. The medical team at Ichilov fought to save his life, and he underwent a long surgery. Thankfully, he is now stabilising," a spokesperson for the hospital told PTI.

The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv is monitoring the situation and visited the hospital to check on his well-being, officials said.

It is also in touch with Indian nationals in Israel regularly amid the ongoing hostilities in the region, they said.

Most Gulf markets fell in early Monday trading, led by sharp losses in the UAE, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continued and oil prices jumped more than 10% on supply cuts and fears of prolonged Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions.

The BASP Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on Monday announced that the temple will remain closed until further notice as a precautionary measure.

This is “in view of the current situation and in alignment with national security advisories,” the Mandir management said on social media.

“The safety and wellbeing of all devotees and visitors remain our highest priority. During this time, the Swamis will continue offering prayers within the Mandir for peace, protection, and the welfare of all. We kindly urge everyone to remain calm, avoid rumours, and follow the safety guidance shared through official government channels,” the notice said.

“Further updates regarding the reopening will be shared in due course. Let us remain united in faith, responsibility, and trust,” it added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday pledged "unwavering support" to Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed after his father and predecessor was killed in US-Israeli strikes.

"I would like to reaffirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends," Putin said in a message to Khamenei, adding that "Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner" to Iran.

"At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication," the Russian leader said.

Parks and Resorts in Dubai have been closed as a precautionary safety measure, following official guidance from the government, Gulf News reported.

Visitors with existing bookings or tickets are advised to check the Dubai Parks website for the latest updates before planning their visit.

Oil prices surged sharply as trading opened after escalating tensions between US and Iran rattled global energy markets.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate climbed to around $109 a barrel while Brent crude moved above $110, levels last seen during the early months of the Ukraine war.

The rally reflects rising concerns over supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that carries a significant share of the world’s oil trade.

The Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai visited Pakistani citizens, who were injured in a recent debris incident at Rashid Hospital, Gulf News reported.

The report said that the consulate team is providing support and checking on the wellbeing of the affected individuals, adding that authorities continue to monitor the situation and ensure medical and consular assistance is available to all affected residents.

Flight operations at Bahrain International Airport remain temporarily suspended due to Bahraini airspace closure, the airport said in a statement.

The statement further informed that operations will resume once airspace reopens safely, adding that passengers should check with their airline for updates.

When asked about the possibility of ceasefire, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that as long as attacks continue, there is "no point to talk about anything but defence and retaliation against enemies", SNN reported.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Turkey on Monday sent six F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems to northern Cyprus to strengthen the security of the Turkish community there amid the war involving Iran, the defence ministry said.

In recent days, European countries have increased their military presence on the ethnically divided island after an Iranian drone struck the British Akrotiri air base in Cyprus last week. Security officials believe the drone was launched by Hezbollah, an Iran ally based in Lebanon.

"In the context of the latest developments in our region, six F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems have been deployed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as of today," the ministry said in a statement. It added that the move was part of phased planning aimed at strengthening the security of the breakaway state.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, replacing his father, by launching a fresh wave of missiles at Israel and Gulf states on Monday, as the Middle East war pushed oil prices sharply higher.

As Iran entered a new phase under its leadership and the conflict reached its 10th day, global oil prices surged. Saudi Arabia confronted drones targeting oil fields, while Bahrain's state energy company warned after a missile strike that it may not be able to meet export contracts.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi Arabia strongly criticised Iran on Monday, calling Tehran's attacks targeting the kingdom and its Gulf neighbours "reprehensible", according to a statement issued by the foreign ministry.

Saudi Arabia "renews the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's categorical condemnation of the reprehensible Iranian aggressions against the Kingdom, the Gulf Cooperation Council states, a number of Arab and Islamic countries, and friendly nations, which cannot be accepted or justified under any circumstances," the statement posted on the ministry's official X account read.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Authorities in Abu Dhabi on Monday, March 9, confirmed that debris fell at two locations in the capital after it was intercepted by air defence systems.

The incidents left two people injured. A Jordanian national suffered minor injuries, while an Egyptian national sustained moderate injuries.

During the past 10 days, several similar incidents have been reported in the emirate, as well as in the cities of Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Finance ministers from the Group of Seven countries will meet on Monday to discuss the possible release of emergency oil reserves, a French government source told the Financial Times. The move is being considered in response to rising oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict.

The discussions were first reported by FT, which said the International Energy Agency will also take part in the talks.

According to the report, three Group of Seven countries, including the United States, have so far backed the proposal, the newspaper said, citing sources.

The report appeared as oil prices jumped more than 25 per cent on Monday, reaching their highest level since mid-2022. The surge came after some major producers reduced supplies and concerns grew over long shipping disruptions as the United States and Israel war with Iran expanded.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran carried out fresh strikes on energy facilities in the Gulf on Monday, including a petroleum complex in Bahrain, as oil prices jumped amid concerns about supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war.

Bahrain's large Al Ma'ameer oil facility was struck, triggering a fire and damage. The country's state-owned energy company Bapco declared force majeure, becoming the latest Gulf producer to invoke the legal clause.

Energy producers in Qatar and Kuwait had earlier issued similar declarations.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Two residents in Abu Dhabi were injured after debris fell at two locations following a successful interception by air defence systems.

The first incident caused a minor injury to a Jordanian national, while the second incident caused a moderate injury to an Egyptian national.

“Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to two incidents of debris falling in two locations, following successful interception by air defence systems. The first incident resulted in a minor injury to a Jordanian national, while the second incident resulted in a moderate injury to an Egyptian national. The public is reminded to obtain information from official sources only, and to avoid the spreading of rumours or unverified information,” Abu Dhabi media office said in a statement.