Dubai news highlights: US issues evacuation advisory for stranded citizens in Gulf countries, Israel

Dubai news LIVE updates: The war has killed more than 1,000 people in Iran, more than 50 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The United Nations says 100,000 people fled the Iranian capital in the war’s first two days alone.

Dubai news LIVE updates: US Department of War on Wednesday released a video of the Iranian ship, which sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka after being hit by a Torpedo. US said that the torpedo struck the ship’s stern, and the explosion left the frigate flinging in air. The vessel was identified as IRIS Dena, according to Sri Lankan foreign minister Vijitha Herath. At least 80 people were killed and nearly 150 people were missing after the torpedo struck ship.

Dubai news LIVE updates: US Iran news LIVE updates: As voting continues, majority of US Senate has blocked the effort to force Trump to end Iran strikes without Congress' approval, Reuters reported.

Dubai news LIVE updates: Dubai international airport, a major aviation hub, has sustained damage as Iranian drones targeted US facilities in the region. Three civilians have been killed in the UAE, foreign workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the country reported. At least 68 people have been injured. On Tuesday, an Iranian drone hit a parking lot outside the US consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire. The UAE defense ministry said it had detected more than 800 Iranian drones in its airspace and 57 of them had struck land.

via AP

Dubai news LIVE updates: Following is the list of countries that have partially or completely shut the airspace:

• UAE (partially shut)
• Kuwait
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia (partially shut)
• Bahrain

Dubai news LIVE updates: Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani lambasted Iran's foreign minister during a call, accusing Tehran of trying to drag their neighbors into war, AFP reported.

Dubai news LIVE updates: US has issued an evacuation advisory for its citizens stranded in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. US secretary of State Marco Rubio took to X and shared a form for those seeking evacuation assistance.

Dubai news LIVE updates: Four people have been arrested in Bahrain for showing sympathy towards Iran by sharing some clips conencted to Iran. “Arrest of 4 individuals following their filming and posting of clips related to the aftermath of the Iranian aggression, representing sympathy with it, and others from military sites, constituting treason against the homeland,” Bahrain's interior ministry wrote on X.

Dubai news LIVE updates: As the escalation between US-Israel and Iran continues, Emirates has cancelled all flights to and from Dubai till March 7. "Emirates continues to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority," the statement read.

Dubai news LIVE updates: Explosions from Israeli air strikes could be heard in Lebanon's Capital Beirut on Wednesday even as hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated, BBC reported.

Earlier today, Israel had sounded evacuation warnings over southern Lebanon, asking residents to leave their homes. This came after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones toward Israel in response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes.

Dubai news LIVE updates: The number of cancelled flights to Middle East hubs has surpassed 20,000 since the conflict escalated in the region.

This comes even as Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, extended its suspension of flights to Dubai till March 7. Qatar Airways has also extended its service halts into Friday.

Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: China will dispatch its special envoy on Middle East affairs to the region for “mediation”, as the conflict between US-Israel and Iran threatens to affect regional stability.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the move in separate phone calls on Wednesday with his UAE and Saudi Arabian counterparts, Bloomberg reported.

Dubai news LIVE updates: The United Arab Emirates, represented by its minister of interior, joined its “first joint emergency meeting of officials responsible for emergency, crisis, and disaster management, as well as operations room officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for the Arab States of the Gulf, which was held via video conferencing.”

“This took place as part of the joint efforts to enhance security and stability, and to elevate the level of preparedness for dealing with the current situations and various emergency challenges,” the UAE ministry of interior said in a post on X. The ministry added that the officials discussed ways of strengthening the existing security coordination among various security agencies.

Dubai news LIVE updates: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday addressed Gulf nations amid Tehran's continuous strikes on countries in the regions. Pezeshkian said that Iran “respects” the sovereignty of these nations, but was left with “no choice” after the US-Israeli strikes.

“Your Majesties, heads of friendly and neighboring states, we have strived alongside you and through diplomacy to avoid war, but the American-Zionist military aggression has left us no choice but to defend ourselves,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.

“We respect your sovereignty, and we believe that the security and stability of the region must be achieved through the collective efforts of its states,” the Iranian President added.

Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: Danish shipping company Maersk Wednesday said it was suspending all Gulf bookings “until further notice”, amid the widening conflict in West Asia.

“We are temporarily suspending cargo booking acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman (all ports apart from Salalah), Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail only) until further notice. This is with immediate notice,” Maersk said, adding that exceptions would be made for “critical foodstuff, medicine and other essential goods.”

Dubai news LIVE updates: After returning from Dubai, one of the Indian nationals who was stranded there shared their experience, saying the hotel had advised those residing their to stay in the basement.

“I went to Dubai... The hotel advised us to stay in the basement... The next day, things became settled...” the passenger, who came back Wednesday, said. He further praised the Indian Embassy, saying they were “very supportive.”

Abu Dhabi news LIVE updates: Amid the disruption of flights in the Middle East region, a Jeddah-Delhi flight landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday evening.

Multiple airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, are operating a limited number of flights from the Middle East amid airspace restrictions to help Indian nationals return to the country.

UAE news LIVE updates: The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to United Nations said that the US was involved in the conflict in West Asia for Israel’s benefit.

“The U.S. Government has sacrificed the interests of its own nation to the hegemonic ambitions of the Israeli regime in the region and to the illusory aspiration of establishing a ‘Greater Israel’ through the expansion of occupation,” the mission said in a post on X.

“The consequences for the global economic crisis arising from this aggression rest entirely upon the initiators of the war,” it added.

UAE news LIVE updates: The number of ballistic missiles fired by Iran has decreased by 86 per cent in comparison to the first day of the conflict, AFP cited General Dan Caine, a top US military officer, as saying. Caine said drones launched by Tehran's forces have also decreased.

“Iran's theater ballistic missile shots fired are down 86 percent from the first day of fighting, with a 23 percent decrease just in the last 24 hours,” Caine told a news conference at the Pentagon. “Their one-way attack drone shots are down 73 percent from the opening days,” Caine added.

UAE news LIVE updates: The oil tanker traffic passing through Strait of Hormuz has dipped by 90 per cent since the escalation of tensions in Middle East since Saturday last week, energy market intelligence firm Kpler said.

“Unlike several other vessel segments where movements have largely ceased, some tankers are still travelling east and west through the strait, with a number of voyages occurring under AIS blackouts,” Kpler Principal Freight Analyst Matt Wright said, referring to the marine traffic tracking system.

UAE news LIVE updates: Air India on Wednesday announced that travellers would be given the option of free rescheduling and full refunds for flights given the situation in West Asia.

“In view of the continuing situation in the Middle East impacting flight operations, Air India is offering customers the option of complimentary rescheduling or full refunds on cancellation for confirmed bookings made on or before 28 February 2026 on flights to and from the Middle East, the UK and Europe for travel up to 10 March 2026,” the carrier said in a post on X.

UAE news LIVE updates: Hezbollah on Wednesday said it had targeted an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv and a naval base in Haifa in the north with swarms of attack drones, AFP reported.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said “several launches... from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were successfully intercepted after sirens sounded in central Israel.”

UAE news LIVE updates: An Iranian warship was sunk near Sri Lanka in Indian Ocean by torpedo. “An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Reuters news agency.

Sri Lankan authorities said they had rescued 32 crew members from the frigate IRIS Dena but that 148 other sailors were missing, with hopes low that any more would be found, AFP reported.

UAE news LIVE updates: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said “more forces are arriving” in West Asia amid its conflict with Iran. “It’s very early, and as President Trump has said, we will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed,” Hegseth said.