Dubai news highlights| UAE continues to thwart Iranian attacks; Talks on end of West Asia war drag on

As Qatar resumes in-person classes across schools, authorities have emphasised strict compliance with safety and emergency protocols to ensure the protection of students, teachers, and staff.

Students and school personnel are required to follow established emergency procedures, including evacuation or shelter-in-place protocols depending on the situation, and adhere to instructions issued by designated safety officers on campus.

The Ministry has also highlighted the importance of ensuring that emergency exits, evacuation routes, and assembly points are fully operational, alongside continued awareness of safety procedures as part of the reopening process.

Officials have urged all stakeholders to refer to the official safety guidelines manual via QR code and comply with all instructions to maintain a secure learning environment.

Kuwait reported partial power outages after seven overhead transmission lines were taken out of service due to falling debris linked to air defence interceptions, the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy (MEW) said late Monday.

According to the ministry, the damage affected multiple areas, with technical teams deployed to assess and restore services as quickly as possible. Repair work will begin once sites are secured in coordination with security authorities.

Officials confirmed that emergency crews remain on high alert to manage any further disruptions and maintain grid stability. Residents have been advised to stay cautious and rely on official updates as restoration efforts continue.

Kuwaiti air defense systems are currently engaged in intercepting hostile missiles and drones that breached the country's airspace, Ministry of Defense Spokesman Colonel Staff Saud Al-Atwan announced on Tuesday morning.

Brent crude oil jumped back above $100 a barrel on Tuesday, a day after plunging more than 10 per cent in reaction to Donald Trump's decision to delay fresh strikes on Iran as he hailed "very good" talks with Tehran.

Brent rose 2.9 per cent to $102.84, while West Texas Intermediate jumped 3.5 per cent to $91.20.

The UAE Ministry of Interior issued an urgent safety advisory, calling on the public to exercise maximum caution and strictly adhere to preventive measures during hailstorms. The ministry emphasized that cooperation is essential to mitigate potential risks and ensure community protection as unstable weather conditions affect several regions across the country.

Air India Group said it will operate 10 non-scheduled flights to and from the UAE, subject to the availability of slots and prevailing conditions at departure stations. The airline said these flights are being operated with the requisite permissions from Indian and local regulatory authorities.

In the case of the UAE, in Dubai, no regular scheduled operations, but ad hoc flights are running by Air India and Air India Express to Delhi, while in Abu Dhabi, no scheduled services; ad hoc flights by Air India Express are operating to Delhi, Kozhikode and Mumbai.

The Air India Group said it will operate a total of 24 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West region on Tuesday, while services to several destinations remain temporarily suspended, according to an Air India press release.

The airline said Air India and Air India Express together will run the flights, including scheduled services to Jeddah and Muscat, along with additional non-scheduled operations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have taken steps toward joining the Iran war, the Wall Street Journal reported, potentially signaling an escalation of the fighting.

Saudi Arabia agreed to give the US military access to King Fahd Air Base, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter, an apparent reversal after saying its bases couldn’t be used to attack its longtime rival.

The newspaper also cited people familiar as saying the United Arab Emirates closed an Iranian-owned hospital and club — undercutting a key source of support for Tehran.

The Israeli military has said that more missiles have been launched from Iran towards Israel’s territory.

In a statement, the military said air defence systems are operating to intercept the attack.

For the second time in less than an hour, the Kuwaiti army has said its air defences are responding to missile and drone attacks and urged people to follow safety instructions from authorities.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed strong condemnation of the Iranian attacks targeting GCC countries, stressing that they constitute a blatant violation of sovereignty, international laws and norms, and a direct threat to regional and international security and stability.

This came during a phone call he received today from Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean at the European Commission, during which they reviewed the latest regional developments and the repercussions of the serious escalation.

During the call, Albudaiwi stressed the need for an immediate halt to all hostile acts, pointing to the importance of coordinated international efforts to contain this escalation in a manner that ensures the security and stability of the region and safeguards maritime safety and global energy supplies.

In the past two hours, Saudi Arabia’s air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed at total of 19 drones, launched in separate attacks, targeting the country’s Eastern Province, according to the kingdom’s defence ministry.

Iran should not negotiate with US President Donald Trump, who has proven himself to be a “liar and without honour”, the country’s deputy parliament speaker said, as conflicting reports emerged of new talks to end the war.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, with the support of its people, stands firmly on its military capabilities, and if Trump is telling the truth, he should announce who he negotiated with,” Ali Nikzad was quoted by Fars news agency as saying.

“His threats are a big lie,” the deputy speak was quoted as saying.

Nikzad pointed out that during two previous rounds of negotiations in June 2025 and in February, the US ended up attacking Iran while negotiators were making progress on an agreement to prevent a conflict.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence announced the interception and destruction of eight drones. In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Major General Turki Al-Maliki, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, stated that the drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Region.

The US State Department said that Iran-aligned terrorist militias have conducted widespread attacks on US citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, as it cautioned the nationals to leave the country immediately.

In a post on X, it said, "Iraq: Iran-aligned terrorist militias have conducted widespread attacks on US citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). US citizens should leave Iraq now. US Mission Iraq remains open while on ordered departure to assist U.S. citizens in Iraq. Do not attempt to come to the embassy in Baghdad or the consulate general in Erbil in light of ongoing risk of missiles, drones, and rockets in Iraqi airspace. All routine consular services remain suspended, including all visa services. Americans should contact BaghdadACS@state.gov or ErbilACS@state.gov in case of emergency. The US Embassy in Iraq reminds US citizens of the Level 4: Do Not Travel warning for Iraq. US citizens are advised: "Do not travel to Iraq for any reason. Leave now if you are there.""

Authorities have told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”, in what is the third activation of alarm sirens over the past five hours in Bahrain.

The Kuwaiti army has said its air defences are responding to “hostile missile and drone attacks”.

In a statement on X, the army said that the sounds of explosions are the result of interceptions, and called on people to adhere to instructions from authorities.

UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan extended his sincere condolences to Qatar during a phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, over the death of members of the Qatari Armed Forces.

The deceased were identified as Captain (Pilot) Mubarak Salem Dawai Al Marri; Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Smeikh; Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem Al Khayareen; and Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed, who were among the crew of a helicopter that crashed into Qatar’s territorial waters following a technical malfunction.