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Dubai, Abu Dhabi News LIVE: Tensions across the Gulf region have intensified, affecting oil supply, travel, and daily life, as the ongoing Iran-US conflict shows no signs of easing. Fresh warnings from Iran and a series of incidents across key locations have raised concerns about wider instability.
At Saudi Arabia’s important Red Sea port of Yanbu, crude oil loading operations were briefly paused after a strike was reported nearby, according to Bloomberg. The disruption comes amid renewed threats from Iran, which has warned it could target energy infrastructure across the region if its own facilities come under attack. Iran’s military command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, reportedly issued a strong message, cautioning that a “major mistake” had been made by its adversaries.
QatarEnergy on Thursday said an Iranian strike on a key oil facility has affected around 17 per cent of the country’s LNG export capacity, raising fresh concerns over energy supplies in the region.
Reacting strongly, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani criticised the attack on the country’s main gas hub, calling it unacceptable. His remarks came after a series of strikes targeting energy infrastructure across the Gulf a day earlier.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities and institutions have taken precautionary steps as tensions escalate. Several schools and universities have decided to shift to online classes for two weeks after the spring break, prioritising student safety, local media reported.
Residents in Dubai also received emergency alerts on their mobile phones on Thursday morning, warning of a possible missile threat from Iran. Around the same time, Kuwait announced that it had intercepted and shot down Iranian drones, signalling a widening scope of the conflict.
The aviation sector has also been impacted. Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific has suspended all flights to and from Dubai until April 30 due to security concerns linked to the situation in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, maritime security risks have increased. A vessel near the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after being hit by what was described as an unknown projectile off the UAE coast near Khor Fakkan. The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed receiving the report late Wednesday night.
The UAE has strongly criticised recent attacks on its Habshan gas facility and the Bab oil field, calling them a “dangerous escalation”.
These developments follow Israeli strikes on Iran’s South Pars gas field, further fuelling tensions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that the situation could spiral out of control, with consequences that might extend far beyond the region.
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