Dubai–Abu Dhabi updates: UAE responds to incoming missile threat; Iran threatens to strike energy system of Gulf areas

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: Iran kept doing retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations even on Sunday as it accuses the countries of serving as a launchpad for US strikes.

Saudi Arabia said Sunday it detected three ballistic missiles around the capital Riyadh. One was intercepted, and two fell in uninhabited areas, the defence ministry said.

The United Arab Emirates said it responded to 4 missile and 25 drone attacks from Iran.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was noncommittal when asked about Trump's threats to strike Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz isn't opened, and whether Israel would join, reports PTI.

"I think President Trump knows exactly what he's doing. And whatever we do we do together and as far as possible in confidence," Netanyahu Israeli prime minister said Sunday.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: The first few matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played behind closed doors in Lahore and Karachi, the country's cricket board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday, citing a fuel shortage caused by the conflict in the Middle East. While the war is being fought between combined forces of the US, Israel against Iran, its impact is seen globally. Iran blocking the Hormuz has resulted in countries not receiving fuel and gas supplies, leading to panic booking of gas and hike in fuel prices. Pakistan too is dealing with the same scenario.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: The Qatari ministry of defence has confirmed that Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Smeikh of the Qatar Armed Forces was killed after a transport helicopter crashed early Sunday in the country’s territorial waters.

The confirmation came after search and rescue operations for the crew and personnel were completed. Authorities have not yet released further details on the cause of the crash.

The Ministry extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, offering prayers for mercy and strength during this time.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said it detected three missiles launched towards Riyadh, of which one was intercepted while two landed in an uninhabited area.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The head of the World Health Organization has warned that the worsening conflict across West Asia is putting public health and safety at serious risk, after recent strikes on the United Arab Emirates and other Arab countries.

In a post on X, Who Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he met Ambassador Jamal Al Musharakh, the United Arab Emirates’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. During the meeting, they spoke about the broad health impact of the ongoing conflict in the United Arab Emirates and the wider region.

"In the UAE, missile strikes have reportedly killed eight people and injured 158. In Oman, at least two people have died as a result of a missile strike, while in Kuwait two paramedics were injured by shrapnel that struck their ambulance centre.

Energy facilities have come under attack across the region, including in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. There are also growing concerns in the Emirates and across the region that strikes on such sites could cause respiratory issues linked to breathing toxic smoke from fires. Damage to desalination plants also threatens water supplies, while people’s mental health is placed under increased strain as communities cope with the stress of living under the risk of bombardment," Ghebreyesus said.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The United Arab Emirates said its air defence systems are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran. Since the beginning of the war, the UAE has dealt with 341 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,748 drones.

“MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones,” the statement from UAE's ministry of defence said.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: The UAE air defence systems today intercepted 4 ballistic missiles and 25 UAVs launched from Iran, said the UAE's ministry of defence on X.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the escalating Middle East conflict has entered a “perilous stage,” citing recent strikes near nuclear facilities in Iran and Israel.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that attacks on nuclear sites pose serious risks to public health and environmental safety. In a post on X, he urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any actions that could lead to a nuclear incident.

Abu Dhabi Dubai News LIVE: An update from Iraq as its Civil Aviation Authority has extended the closure of the country’s airspace for all incoming, outgoing, and transit flights by another 72 hours, citing ongoing security assessments amid regional developments, Gulf News reported.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: UAE air defences are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, the Ministry of Defence said on X. Authorities clarified that the sounds heard are from air defence systems intercepting the threats, not from ground impacts

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: One Turkish soldier and two personnel from Turkish defence firm Aselsan were killed in a helicopter crash in Qatar on Saturday, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Sunday, adding the aircraft had crashed due to a technical issue during a training flight.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Three Turkish nationals, including a serviceman, were among those on board a helicopter that crashed in Qatar’s territorial waters, along with three Qatari servicemen, the country’s defence ministry said on Sunday.

"The Ministry of Defense of State of Qatar announces that, as part of search and rescue operations for the crew and passengers of the helicopter that crashed at dawn today, Sunday, in the State's regional waters, the following have been confirmed martyred: Captain (Pilot) Mubarak Salem Daway Al-Marri, Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem Al-khayarin, and Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed from Qatar Armed Forces, Major Sinan Taştekin from Qatar - Turkey Joint Forces, and Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail Anas Can, Turkish civilian collaborators, passengers on the helicopter. The search operation for Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Samekh, from Qatar Armed Forces, is still in progress," said Qatar's ministry of defence in a tweet.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: An unknown projectile struck a vessel 15 nautical miles north of the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said early on Sunday, Reuters reporting. It said that all crew were reported safe.

The UKMTO said in a later statement that the target of the incident could not be conclusively identified and authorities were investigating.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: After a joint statement by 22 countries—mainly from the Europe—condemned alleged Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran issued a strong rebuttal, arguing that maritime routes were never blocked before the conflict escalated.

Iran, via its Tokyo embassy's X account, said it had long ensured the free flow of energy and trade despite facing sustained pressure and disruptions from the United States, calling this a sign of “maximum restraint.” It questioned the fairness of the criticism, asserting that it had safeguarded passage for others even while being unable to fully benefit itself.

In a pointed message, Tehran urged countries to stop “accommodating American and Israeli aggressors” and instead focus on ending what it described as destabilising actions in the region.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israeli defence minister Katz says military ordered to speed up demolition of homes in Lebanese frontline villages to eliminate threats to Israeli communities

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The ongoing conflict in West Asia may slow the pace of Dubai’s residential property market, although a steep crash like the 2008 financial crisis is not expected in the near future, according to a report by S&P Global Ratings.

The report said the property sector in the United Arab Emirates remains sensitive to geopolitical developments, as it depends heavily on expatriates and foreign investment.

"Real estate in the UAE is among the sectors that could suffer credit pain due to the Middle East conflict... the UAE, and notably Dubai, is particularly exposed to the indirect effects of the current conflict," the report said.

It added that the conflict has already made investors more cautious and slowed activity in the property market.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) secretary-general Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi strongly criticised what he described as continued Iranian attacks on Gulf countries, including strikes on oil and infrastructure facilities.

He said these actions violate international law and pose a threat to regional stability and global energy supplies.

He dismissed Iran’s allegations against Gulf states as baseless, reaffirmed the bloc’s right to defend itself under international law, and called on the international community to take a clear stand and work towards immediate de-escalation.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Qatar’s ministry of interior said that six of the seven people on board a helicopter that crashed in the country’s territorial waters have been found and confirmed dead, while search efforts are still underway for the one person who remains missing.

The defence ministry earlier said the helicopter had crashed after suffering a technical malfunction during "routine duty".

While Qatar has been targeted by several strikes since the start of the Iran war, no connection has been made between this chopper and the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has said it will restart commercial flights between Kuwait and Egypt’s Sohag, operating via Saudi Arabia’s Qaisumah Airport from March 29. The service will be the airline’s sixth route to Egypt through Qaisumah, adding to connectivity between Kuwait and important travel routes.

The airline said the decision is meant to address growing demand for family visits as well as necessary work and personal travel, especially among the large Egyptian expatriate population living in Kuwait.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Israeli first responders said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person on Sunday, close to Israel's northern border, news agency AFP reported.

The ZAKA 360 emergency response unit said a person was pronounced dead after a strike on their vehicle "carried out by a rocket fired from Lebanon".

Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a “direct hit”.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: The Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to "Iran's enemies", Iran's representative to the U.N. maritime agency said on Sunday, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to target Iranian power plants if the waterway was not "fully open" within 48 hours.

Ali Mousavi said Tehran was ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf, adding that ships not linked to "Iran's enemies" could pass the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.

"Diplomacy remains Iran's priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important," Mousavi said, adding that Israeli and U.S. attacks against Iran were at the "root of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz".

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran has not issued any warning to evacuate Doha or Qatari media, Iranian news agency Mehr reported citing a source.

As per the report, the source in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said: “Contrary to false rumours circulating on social media, Iran has not issued any warning to evacuate Doha, Qatar, or the country’s media outlets.”

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran on Sunday threatened to attack key infrastructure across the Middle East if US President Donald Trump follows through on his vow to "obliterate" the Islamic republic's power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz swiftly reopens.

Trump, after signalling he may wind down the war, ratcheted up pressure on Iran's leadership, announcing a countdown over the Islamic republic's de facto blockade on the crucial trade route.

"If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

But Iran's military operational command responded that if the country's facilities were hit, "all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US" in the region would be targeted.

Dubai Abu Dhabi news LIVE: Iran's official IRNA news agency said on Sunday that a drone attack targeted a military base near the Baghdad International Airport.

The "military base, located near Baghdad International Airport, has again been the target of drone strikes," IRNA wrote, referring to a compound that was used in the past by the US military.