UAE air defences intercepted the majority of the projectiles, with authorities reporting that more than 90% of incoming threats were destroyed. However, debris from interceptions and falling projectiles caused fires and hit landmarks including Dubai International Airport, the Burj Al Arab hotel, and Jebel Ali Port. Clouds of black smoke were seen billowing from Dubai’s International Finance Centre after debris from an intercepted drone damaged a building, and another drone hit a building near Dubai’s Creek Harbour without causing injuries.
Four people were injured when two drones fell near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, according to city authorities. The UAE Ministry of Defence said air defence systems detected 16 ballistic missiles, intercepted 15, and one fell into the sea, while 121 drones were detected, 119 intercepted, and two fell within UAE territory. On Thursday, the UAE announced it intercepted six Iranian missiles and 131 drones, with one missile and six drones landing on its soil.
Four cruise missiles launched from Iran were detected toward various areas; three were engaged over territorial waters and one fell in the sea, the UAE Defense Ministry said. As of 10 March, the UAE’s defence system had intercepted more than 90% of all projectiles, according to the Ministry of Defence. Since the start of Iran's attacks, UAE air defences have dealt with 285 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,567 drones, authorities said.
I'm 'not satisfied' with Iran's proposal.
An Iranian drone sparked a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah, UAE authorities reported. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, and a projectile hit a Thai cargo ship off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze; three crew members are missing and 20 were rescued by the Omani navy, according to Thailand's Marine Department. Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, multiple reports indicate.
S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on 28 February, prompting Washington to impose a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports. S.
S. military said. S.
Dubai is still 'one of the safest places in the world'.
military, which denied Iran’s claims that it struck an American Navy vessel southeast of the strait. The attacks have severely disrupted air travel and daily life. Nearly 19,000 flights have been cancelled due to airspace closures and missile attacks.
Thousands of travellers remained trapped in Dubai due to widespread flight cancellations. A shaheed kamikaze drone hit a fuel tank less than a mile from Dubai's Terminal 3, and the airport was closed for six hours, causing en route planes to be turned around mid-air and all take-offs suspended. KLM cancelled all flights to Dubai until 28 March, and airlines including British Airways, Aegean Airlines, and Air Canada have cancelled flights.
Tourism, which generates around $30bn every year for Dubai, has been hit hard; the Middle East Travel Alliance saw a 100% cancellation of all future bookings to the region since the conflict started. S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran almost two weeks ago, while alerts ping on phones daily warning of potential missile threats.
Coverage of events has been 'hyperbolic' and damage caused so far has only been from 'falling debris'.
Over 90% of Dubai's residents are foreigners, and Emirati citizens make up only 10% of the population. Dubai is home to 240,000 Britons. Some companies, including Bloomberg, Citigroup, Standard Chartered, and the London Stock Exchange Group, have told Dubai employees to work remotely or offered temporary relocation.
Tourists have been arrested on suspicion of filming missiles. Attacks on two datacentres briefly left Dubai residents unable to use their phones for digital payments. The UAE Ministry of Interior issued a nationwide emergency warning for possible missile attacks, urging residents to seek immediate shelter and stay away from windows, doors, and open spaces, the BBC reported.
Most residents the BBC spoke to say they have no plans to leave, but according to The Guardian, British headteacher John Trudinger said most of his UK teachers have left and won’t come back because they are deeply traumatised. The Guardian also reported that taxi driver Zain Anwar described Dubai as finished. According to NRK Norge, Norwegian resident Monica Aasheim described the situation as very tense and extremely demanding, with missiles flying overhead, and said she is still afraid.
The situation is 'very tense, extremely demanding, tough' with missiles flying overhead.
Siv Emanuelsen, another Norwegian, felt her hotel shake and later sat several floors underground; she walked through the Fairmont hotel half an hour before it was hit. Jan Erik Søndeland saw a missile land in the water near the beach, less than a kilometer from land. The Norwegian Seamen's Church is present and helping by phone if needed, Aasheim said.
British influencer Vicky Pattison, who was evacuated to her hotel's underground car park as a precaution, called Dubai one of the safest places in the world and said coverage has been hyperbolic, with damage only from falling debris. A Daily Mail reporter noted that 50,000 or so influencers, many Brits, are parroting 'Dubai is Safe' hashtags at the government's bidding, while some influencers like Luisa Zissman quietly left, claiming their trip back to Britain was planned before the war. Passengers affected by cancellations are not entitled to compensation under EU regulation 261/2004 because the situation is considered an extraordinary circumstance, but they are entitled to a refund or re-routing and material assistance if stranded, legal expert Imane El Bouanani said.
The conflict has spilled over into neighbouring countries. Kuwait said its defences downed eight Iranian drones, and Saudi Arabia intercepted five drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field. In Kuwait, vital fuel tanks at the international airport were attacked by drones, and a fire that broke out was brought under control without serious injuries.
She is still afraid and it has been extremely demanding being far from family and friends.
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior announced the death of two border guards early today, without specifying the cause. Anti-aircraft sirens sounded in Bahrain, where three people were injured from missile fragments and material damage occurred to a university building. Israeli strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon killed 14 people, and a Red Cross worker died of wounds from an earlier strike; more than 500 people have been killed in Lebanon since Hezbollah triggered the latest round of fighting.
The UAE announced it faced a new attack with drones and missiles from Iran on Sunday morning, according to a post by the Ministry of Defence on X. The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Iran's targeting of vital facilities and civilian infrastructure, describing the attacks as a dangerous escalation that would endanger the security and stability of these countries. The UAE categorically denied Israeli media reports that it carried out a symbolic military strike on Iran.
According to CNN Greece, a UAE source described the claims as nonsense and said the country would publicly announce any military action, adding that it is inappropriate for anonymous Israeli officials to speak on behalf of the UAE. Rashid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council, called the reports fake news and said that when the UAE does something, it has the courage to announce it. S.
The country categorically rejects these nonsense claims and would publicly announce any military action.
and Iran, which has lasted for three weeks. The UAE issued its first three missile alerts on Monday since the ceasefire took hold almost four weeks ago. S.
to mediators in Pakistan, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, but according to The Independent, Donald Trump described himself as not satisfied with Iran's proposal. Iran rejected an ultimatum by Trump to lay down its weapons. Trump claims Iran is negotiating to end his war, despite denials.
The UN Security Council will vote on a resolution demanding Iran stop attacking its Arab neighbours. S. and Iran on 8 April.
It is inappropriate for anonymous Israeli officials to speak on behalf of the UAE or spread rumors about its intentions.
S. started a military buildup in the Middle East with the aim of regime change in Iran, and in late February, an Israeli-American coordinated air strike was launched against Iran, targeting its leaders and main military infrastructures. Israel’s military is closely monitoring developments in the Gulf and remains on high alert, but there are currently no changes expected in guidelines for Israel’s civilians, an Israeli military official said.
S. S. was protecting sites in the UAE that came under Iranian attack.
According to The Independent, former US ambassador Barbara Leaf described Dubai as a target for Iran because it is a shiny symbol of an alternative economic future. The exact total number of casualties remains unclear, with figures varying between sources: UAE authorities reported six killed and 141 injured, while other research indicates 13 killed and 224 injured. The full extent of damage to critical infrastructure and the number of foreign nationals who have evacuated Dubai are still being assessed.
The current status of the ceasefire is uncertain, with conflicting reports on its duration and violations. Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias discussed the return of Greeks from the region in a phone call with his UAE counterpart.