Dubai-Abu Dhabi news highlights: Amazon says its UAE data centre hit; Emirates cancels all Dubai flights

Dubai-Abu Dhabi news highlightes: An empty arrivals area at the Dubai International Airport amid Iran's strike on UAE

Dubai-Abu Dhabi news highlights: Amazon cloud unit AWS's data centres in Bahrain and the UAE were facing power and connectivity issues on Monday, the company said, as Iranian retaliatory strikes hit airports, ports, and residential areas across the wider Gulf. Two of Amazon Cloud Unit's zones, which are clusters of data centres, in the UAE were without power on Monday, the company said on its status page. AWS said on Sunday said that one zone in the UAE was affected after "objects" struck the data center and created sparks and fire, following which power was shut off.

The United Arab Emirates announced it was closing its embassy in Tehran and also summoned Iran’s envoy to Abu Dhabi to deliver a formal protest over “Iran’s terrorist attacks”.

As the conflict enters Day 3, fresh details have emerged on the scale of the previous day’s Iranian strikes on UAE. According to local media reports, UAE Air Defence Forces destroyed 20 ballistic missiles, downed eight into the sea, and neutralised two cruise missiles. They also intercepted 311 drones during the coordinated assault. However, despite the extensive interceptions, 21 drones reportedly struck civilian targets.

A satelite image shared by Reuters showed thick, black smoke rising over an industrial area in Dubai.

Trading on the UAE’s two main exchanges, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Dubai Financial Market (DFM), has been suspended till Tuesday, March 3. Meanwhile, three people have been killed in UAE amid Iranian strikes, local media reported.

Notably, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have faced hundreds of missiles and drone attacks from Iran, which has been responding to an onslaught from the US and Israel. Track

Journalists heard several blasts in Dubai, whereas in Abu Dhabi too, residents heard loud bangs, AFP reported. Sirens sounded in Manama, where an explosion was also heard, while a journalist in Qatari capital Doha heard a blast faintly.

UAE's major economic hub Dubai came under attack after Iran responded to US and Israel's joint strikes by targeting US facilities in the region with explosions and drone interceptions being reported across Dubai on Saturday. Iran fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at targets across the UAE, AFP cited the defence ministry as saying.

Dubai International Airport, which is one of the world's most busiest aviation hubs, suffered partial damage due to a suspected aerial strike on one of its main terminal buildings. Confirming the incident, the airport authorities said that one concourse at Dubai International “sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained". Four employees also sustained injuries in the incident.

One person was killed at the Abu Dhabi airport and seven wounded during what authorities called an “incident”, AFP reported.

Kuwait’s civil aviation authority also said that a drone hit the its airport in which some people suffered minor injuries while the passenger building suffered “limited” damages .

Palm, Burj Al Arab targeted

The UAE defence ministry said fires and smoke were seen at seen at landmarks such as The Palm seafront development and Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, AFP reported.

Loud explosions were also heard along with plumes of smoke rising near Dubai's famed man-made island, The Palm, with authorities reporting four injured. According to one of the witnesses who spoke to AFP, he saw thick black smoke rising from a hotel on the Palm and heard ambulances rushing towards the scene.

The Dubai media office later confirmed an "incident" in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area that resulted in a fire and four people were injured. “Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control. Four individuals sustained injuries and have been transferred to medical facilities,” it said.

Indian nationals stuck, union minister assures return

Several Indians are stuck amid the ongoing conflict in Middle East. This includes actors Subhashree Ganguly and Sonal Chauhan. Ganguly was holidaying in Dubai with her minor son.

Her husband, TMC legislator Raj Chakraborty, told the media that both are “in a hotel and safe.” “We are deeply concerned, although civilians are known to be safe in Dubai. Let's see when the flight operations resume,” he said.

Ananya Datta, a resident of Kuwait, told HT that she along with her husband witnessed a drone hitting the local airport. Kolkata mayor and cabinet minister Firhad Hakim's wife and two daughters were on a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Hakim's elder daughter, Priyadarshini, shared her experience on social media. "We are safe, but the army here is ready for combat. We saw a missile flying above us," she said.

Meanwhile, union minister Pralhad Joshi Sunday said the Centre was making continuous efforts to ensure the safe return of Indians stranded, calling the situation “volatile”, PTI reported. However, Joshi said that the situation right now is “turbulent”, adding “that even flying a plane there is dangerous.”