Dubai Abu Dhabi news highlights: Israel launches ‘wide-scale’ strikes on Iran; UAE intercepts drones, missile attacks

Dubai news LIVE: Abu Dhabi on Wednesday said that it controlled a fire at the old airport after an interception by air defence systems, no injuries were reported.

Dubai news LIVE: Britain's Standard Chartered has begun evacuating its Dubai offices, telling staff to work from home instead, sources told AFP

StanChart has a large presence in the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai now a major financial hub for leading international lenders, including JPMorgan and HSBC, as well as law firms and asset managers.

Dubai news LIVE: Deloitte evacuated staff at Dubai office as Iran threatened US, Israel-linked economic targets, sources told AFP.

Earlier, US financial service group Citi asked its Dubai employees to evacuate their offices on Wednesday “due to heightened security concerns”

Dubai news LIVE: Oman's sultan on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction and condemnation of the Iranian president over the ongoing attacks targeting Oman's territory
The condemnation came after the Salah Port in Oman was targeted with drones.

Dubai news LIVE: The HSBC bank on Wednesday said that all its branches in Qatar will remain closed until further notice, citing safety of staff and customers.

The bank informed this through a text message amid the Middle East crisis. Earlier in the day Qatar's defence ministry said it intercepted a missile coming towards it.

Dubai news LIVE: The International Energy Agency said Wednesday its member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves in the biggest such release ever release, to ease the impact of the Middle East war.

"The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore I am very glad that IEA member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size," IEA executive director Fatih Birol was quoted by AFP as saying.

Dubai news LIVE: Oman said that it is "on high alert" after drone attacks that struck fuel tanks at Salalah Port. While some drones hit the tanks, others were struck down by defence forces. Authorities are using all resources to monitor and handle these attacks, Khaleej Times reported.

Oman on Wednesday said that drones struck fuel tanks in Salah Port, adding that no human casualties were reported.

Dubai news LIVE: US financial service group Citi asked its Dubai employees to evacuate their offices on Wednesday "due to heightened security concerns" as Iran threatened to strike US and Israel-linked banks.

Employees were asked to evacuate Citi offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and in Oud Metha, a source with knowledge of the evacuations told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive topics.

Dubai news LIVE: The Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jasiwal on Wednesday said that, "As for the casualties, we have lost two Indian nationals, and one remains missing. We express our condolences to their families. The incidents of death and the missing person occurred when they were on merchant vessels that came under attack," Jaiswal said.

"A few Indians have also been injured in the GCC region. One person was injured in Israel, and there are reports of another individual being injured in Dubai. The MEA is in regular touch with them," he added.

Dubai news LIVE: Oman on Wednesday said that drones struck fuel tanks in Salah Port, adding that no human casualties were reported.

The Port of Salalah is the largest port in Oman and has been in operation since 1998.

Dubai news LIVE: Switzerland is temporarily closing its embassy in Tehran due to the war in the Middle East and increasing security risks, the foreign office said on Wednesday.

The ambassador and five Swiss staff members left Iran by land and are safely outside the country, it added. "They will return to Tehran as soon as the situation allows."

Dubai news LIVE: Air France on Wednesday extended suspension of its flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 14, 2026.

They have also extended suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 15.

Dubai news LIVE: Shell, the world's largest liquefied natural gas trader, has declared force majeure on LNG cargoes it buys from QatarEnergy and sells to its clients worldwide, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Qatar, the world's second-largest exporter of LNG, announced a production halt at its 77 million tons per annum (mtpa) facility last week and declared force majeure on LNG shipments.

Dubai news LIVE: UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash said Iran "is lying when they claim to be targeting US bases in the Gulf", slamming in a post on X the attacks on "civilian infrastructure... with no regard for civilians and innocent people".

An Indian worker at a cargo terminal opposite Terminal 2 of Dubai airport said he saw a drone flying at low altitude, slowly gliding down before crashing into a building at the airport terminal.

Dubai news LIVE: Dubai International Airport briefly halted operations on Wednesday after drones smashed down at the facility, resulting in four injuries at the world’s busiest international hub, Bloomberg reported.

Dubai’s media office said that two drones fell in the vicinity of the airport, resulting in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national, according to a social media post. Air traffic is operating as normal, it added.

Dubai news LIVE: The Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jasiwal, on Wednesday confirmed that the two Indian nationals have lost their lives and one still remains missing amid the ongoing West Asian conflict.

During the Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia, the MEA spokesperson reiterated that the welfare and safety of India's large diaspora in the region remain the government's "utmost priority" as the conflict continues to escalate.

Dubai news LIVE: The Ministry of Defense of Qatar on Wednesday announced that armed forces intercepted missile attack which targeted State of Qatar.

This was after the Ministry of Interior announced that the security threat level is high and called on everyone to stay at home.

Dubai news LIVE: Authorities in Dubai on Wednesday confirmed that the sounds heard across parts of the city were the result of successful air defence interception operations, Dubai media office posted on X.

Earlier, Lound bangs were heard in United Arab Emirates' Dubai on Wednesday afternoon, Reuters reported, citing witnesses.

Dubai news LIVE: Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in the Middle East with his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Kremlin said in the statement.

"The leaders continued to exchange views on the dangerously deteriorating situation in the Middle East, which is having serious consequences for Iran and Arab countries," the Kremlin said.

Dubai news LIVE: Dubai Media Office said in a post on X that the competent authorities in Dubai confirm that the sounds heard in some areas of the emirate are the result of successful air interceptions.

The post emphasised the importance of obtaining information from reliable official sources.

War news LIVE: The Indian government will address a press briefing shortly over the situation in West Asia.

War news LIVE: In an advisory for its nationals in the conflict-hit Middle East, Australia said on Wednesday, “We are concerned this regional conflict is likely to continue and could escalate.”​

“If you wish to leave the Middle East, do not wait until it is too late,” the advisory posted on Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's X handle stated.​

“Leave now while commercial flights are available,” it said.

Bahrain moved some aircraft on Wednesday, as attacks on infrastructure across the Gulf continued to disrupt air traffic in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran that entered its 12th day.

Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs said on Wednesday several Gulf Air aircraft, without passengers, and some cargo air planes, were relocated to alternative airports to "ensure the continuity and efficiency of air operations" during the crisis.

It did not provide further details. Gulf Air was not immediately available for comment.

(via Reuters)

Dubai, Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The UAE President wrote a patriotic poem that was performed by the national orchestra, state media said Wednesday, as his country faced the attacks unleashed by Iran after US-Israeli strikes.

"The UAE National Orchestra has released a special musical tribute, titled 'Men, by God, Truly Men', featuring the poem 'Rijal Wallah Rijal' written by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, honouring those who dedicate themselves to protecting the nation," WAM said.

WAM shared a video of the performance, which kicked off with a recent interview in which Sheikh Mohamed said the UAE had "thick skin and bitter flesh. We are no easy prey".

Men dressed in dark kanduras, the traditional dress for men in the Gulf, and white headdresses, then went on to sing, accompanied by an orchestra that included foreigners as well as women.

(via AFP)

Dubai news LIVE: Lound bangs were heard in United Arab Emirates' Dubai on Wednesday afternoon, Reuters reported, citing witnesses.

More details are awaited.

This comes after four people were injured after two drones fell near Dubai's airport, the government said. Air traffic operated as normal.