Dubai, Abu Dhabi News Live Updates: On the 17th day, as conflict deepens in West Asia, the death toll in the UAE is at seven
Kartavya Desk Staff
Dubai, UAE, Abu Dhabi Attack News Today Live Updates: A drone attack targeting the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone has the site up in flames. So far, no casualty has been reported from the site, which is around 150 km away from Dubai. Meanwhile, the UAE has closed its airspace again following Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Dubai airport incident and disruptions: On Monday, a drone attack near Dubai International Airport affected one of the fuel tanks, the Dubai Media Office said on X. The attack triggered a fire near the airport, which civil defence crews later brought under control with no injuries reported. Dubai Police announced the closure of Airport Road, the Airport Tunnel, and intersections at Cargo Village and Marrakech Street leading to the airport. However, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, denied Iran’s involvement, saying, “Iran is not the party responsible for these attacks, and if Iran had carried them out, it would have announced it.”
What Trump said on Iran: Onboard Air Force One, US President Donald Trump said, “We had some very good results today in Iran, very strong results militarily. We are talking to countries about policing the Strait of Hormuz because they are the ones that rely on it for oil. The US gets very little oil from there, about 1 or 2 per cent, but China, for example, gets about 90 per cent of its oil through the strait of Hormuz. It would be good if other countries helped police it with us and we will work with them. Militarily, as far as I am concerned, we have essentially defeated Iran.” He further added that they may have a little bit of fight back left, but not much. “We can take that out within five minutes if we want, everything is locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said.
CHECK LATEST UPDATES ON THE US-ISRAEL VS IRAN WAR HERE
5 key developments:
• Drone fire near Dubai airport: A drone strike hit a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport, causing a fire that emergency crews later brought under control. No injuries were reported.
• Saudi Arabia intercepts drones: Saudi Arabia said it intercepted 37 drones over its eastern region in about 90 minutes.
• Drone strike reported in Kuwait base: A drone attack hit Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, damaging a shelter used by an Italian air task force and destroying an unmanned aircraft.
• Iran denies role in Dubai incident: Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, said Tehran was not responsible for the drone attacks.
• Trump urges countries to police Hormuz: Trump said the US was speaking to countries about helping secure the Strait of Hormuz, adding nations that rely on the route for oil should help protect it.
The UAE has temporarily and fully shut its airspace, the nation's General Civil Aviation Authority has said. The move follows a fresh wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense has said that it intercepted two drones in the east.
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: اعتراض وتدمير مسيّرتين في المنطقة الشرقية. pic.twitter.com/ycLebOZtb1— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 17, 2026
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: اعتراض وتدمير مسيّرتين في المنطقة الشرقية. pic.twitter.com/ycLebOZtb1
A fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone after the site was targeted by drones. There have been no casualties so far, as per the Fujairah government said. The site of the attack is about 150 km east of Dubai.
pic.twitter.com/UFWTpko5Q3— Fujairah Media Office (@FjMediaoffice) March 17, 2026
pic.twitter.com/UFWTpko5Q3
The United Arab Emirates has closed its airspace again following “incoming missile and drone threats from Iran”, BBC reported citing the country’s defence ministry.
Flight operations to Dubai were affected in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram after the reports of disruptions at the destination airport on Monday, March 16, 2026. Emirates flights were affected by the temporary airspace disruptions in Dubai. EK533, the Dubai-bound flight, departed CIAL at 4.30 am and, following the security concerns, landed back at CIAL at 8.30 am.
A fuel tank near Dubai International Airport caught fire. The Dubai civil defence team confirmed the incident and said that cooling operations are underway.
أكدت فرق الدفاع المدني انتهاء حريق خزان الوقود في محيط مطار دبي الدولي، وأن عمليات التبريد تتم حالياً.— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026tf-8">
أكدت فرق الدفاع المدني انتهاء حريق خزان الوقود في محيط مطار دبي الدولي، وأن عمليات التبريد تتم حالياً.
The Indian Embassy in Doha said that around 1,100 Indian passengers travelled from Qatar to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and other destinations on March 16, 2026, on Qatar Airways.
On March 18, 2026, Qatar Airways will operate to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mumbai.
Update/Advisory, March 16, 2026, 1800 hrs· About 1100 Indian passengers travelled to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and other destinations on Qatar Airways flights on March 16. Flights to these destinations are also planned for March 17.· Qatar Airways has announced… pic.twitter.com/vUHz8Shv5M— India in Qatar (@IndEmbDoha) March 16, 2026
Update/Advisory, March 16, 2026, 1800 hrs· About 1100 Indian passengers travelled to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and other destinations on Qatar Airways flights on March 16. Flights to these destinations are also planned for March 17.· Qatar Airways has announced… pic.twitter.com/vUHz8Shv5M
Air France cancelled all its flight operations to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until March 17.
All Tokyo-Doha flights of Japan Airlines are suspended from February 28 to March 31 and Doha-Tokyo flights until April 1.
(Reuters)
Air Canada cancelled all its operations to Dubai until March 28, 2026.
Etihad airline resumed its operations with limited commercial flight schedules flying between Abu Dhabi and a few other destinations.
(Reuters)
The Qatar defence ministry confirmed a second wave of missile attacks on Monday, March 16, 2026. It announced that the missiles were intercepted by the armed forces, and as of now, no casualties have been reported.
The death toll in the UAE is at 7, and there are 145 injury cases on the 14th day of war. Of the seven, five were civilians and two were armed forces members who were killed in the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Siren sounds were heard in Bahrain. The interior ministry urged all its residents to move into the nearest safe place.
The Qatari defence ministry announced that a missile attack aimed at the State of Qatar was intercepted by the armed forces.
Emirates has resumed their flight operations. The airline had suspended all its operations temporarily following the disruptions caused by the drone attacks earlier this morning.
The airline has advised all its passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport, as there have been cancellations and only limited operations have been resumed.
Emirates has resumed reduced flight operations after a temporary suspension earlier this morning (16 March, 2026).Some flights from today’s schedule have been cancelled. Affected customers will receive a cancellation notice and will be advised on reaccommodation options.… pic.twitter.com/4M6A7xRE8D— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 16, 2026
Emirates has resumed reduced flight operations after a temporary suspension earlier this morning (16 March, 2026).Some flights from today’s schedule have been cancelled. Affected customers will receive a cancellation notice and will be advised on reaccommodation options.… pic.twitter.com/4M6A7xRE8D
The UAE defence ministry confirmed that on Monday, March 16, 2026, the air defences dealt with six ballistic missiles and 21 Iranian drones.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the UAE has dealt with 304 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1627 drones.
Air India and Air India Express have suspended all their flight operations to Dubai till March 16, 2026.
Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended all its operations following the closure of Qatari airspace. A revised schedule with limited operations will begin from March 18 to March 28, 2026.
Indigo operations remain suspended till March 28 to Doha, Kuwait, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah.
(Reuters)
The Qatari foreign ministry said that discussions around opening the Strait of Hormuz for functional operations are underway.
The ministry added that the Iranian attack against civilians continues, and it is not aware of any official mediation between the US and Iran.
(Reuters)
DBX has asked all passengers to proceed to the airport only after confirming their departure time directly with their respective airlines.
An emirate building was targeted by a drone in Umm Al Quwain, which resulted in a fire breakout. Authorities confirmed no casualties or injuries from the incident.
(Reuters)
The Qatari foreign ministry confirmed that the evacuations carried out in parts of Doha on Saturday, March 14, 2026, were due to the threat of an Iranian missile. The missile was launched near a residential neighbourhood and is said to have been intercepted by the forces.
(Reuters)
UEFA Finalissima football match in Qatar between Argentina and Spain has been cancelled following the escalating conflict in the West Asia. The scheduled match was supposed to take place on March 27, 2026, in Doha.
Dubai-based air carrier Flydubai have resumed their flight operations after a temporary morning suspension followed by drone disruptions.
The operations have been said to have resumed with reduced schedules after the disruptions in the morning.
All passengers are advised to confirm their flight operations schedule before travelling.
(Khaleej Times)
Oman Air flights are continuing to operate as normal, with additional services across its network. However, due to ongoing regional airspace closures, some routes remain temporarily affected.
Flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH), Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen (CPH), Baghdad (BGW), and Khasab (KHS) have been cancelled until 31 March 2026.
⚠️ Dear valued guests,Oman Air flights continue to operate as normal, with additional services across our network. However, due to ongoing regional airspace closures, some routes remain temporarily affected.As a result, flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain… pic.twitter.com/DJRVi8jH5G— Oman Air (@omanair) March 16, 2026
⚠️ Dear valued guests,Oman Air flights continue to operate as normal, with additional services across our network. However, due to ongoing regional airspace closures, some routes remain temporarily affected.As a result, flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain… pic.twitter.com/DJRVi8jH5G
A fire broke out at an industrial zone in Fujairah, UAE, following a drone strike, the emirate’s media office said. Civil defence teams are working to contain the blaze, and no injuries have been reported so far.
- •Al Jazeera
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said a rocket fell on a civilian vehicle in the Al Bahia area, killing one person of Palestinian nationality. In a statement, the office urged the public to rely only on official sources for information and refrain from circulating rumours or unverified reports.
تعاملت الجهات المختصة في إمارة أبوظبي مع حادث نتيجة سقوط صاروخ على مركبة مدنية في منطقة الباهية، ما أسفر عن مقتل شخص واحد من الجنسية الفلسطينية.ونهيب بالجمهور استقاء المعلومات من المصادر الرسمية فقط، وتجنُّب تداول الشائعات أو المعلومات غير الموثوقة.— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 16, 2026
تعاملت الجهات المختصة في إمارة أبوظبي مع حادث نتيجة سقوط صاروخ على مركبة مدنية في منطقة الباهية، ما أسفر عن مقتل شخص واحد من الجنسية الفلسطينية.ونهيب بالجمهور استقاء المعلومات من المصادر الرسمية فقط، وتجنُّب تداول الشائعات أو المعلومات غير الموثوقة.
While Emirates airlines has stuck to halting flights to and from Dubai, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has said that some flights will gradually resume operations to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates regarding their flights.
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announces the gradual resumption of some flights to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations, following the temporary suspension implemented as a precautionary measure.Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for…— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announces the gradual resumption of some flights to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations, following the temporary suspension implemented as a precautionary measure.Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for…
The official spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed that three drones were intercepted and destroyed over the Riyadh and Eastern regions of Saudi Arabia.
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: اعتراض وتدمير 3 مسيّرات في منطقتي الرياض والشرقية. pic.twitter.com/l9xmClMzHn— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 16, 2026
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: اعتراض وتدمير 3 مسيّرات في منطقتي الرياض والشرقية. pic.twitter.com/l9xmClMzHn
Emirates airlines announced that it will operate a limited schedule after 10am (06:00 GMT) today. This statement comes after the Dubai airport was temporarily closed and all flight operations were suspended after a drone hit a fuel tank and set it on fire.
All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.Please do not go to the airport.Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority… pic.twitter.com/m5eIloT2wk— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 16, 2026
All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.Please do not go to the airport.Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority… pic.twitter.com/m5eIloT2wk
The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems are responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. "The sounds heard in parts of the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting the projectiles," the ministry said in a statement. It did not immediately provide further details on any damage or casualties.
- •Al Jazeera
Air defense systems are currently responding to a missile threat. Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates. pic.twitter.com/BNHRYDBpGd— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) March 16, 2026
Air defense systems are currently responding to a missile threat. Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates. pic.twitter.com/BNHRYDBpGd
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said that they intercepted three waves of drones in the eastern side of the country. The Ministry said 12 were destroyed in the latest wave, while six were shot down before that. Another five were intercepted earlier.The report comes after the ministry reported intercepting 37 drones in the early hours of the morning.
- •Al Jazeera
Dubai Airports announces the diversion of some flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
Dubai Airports announces the diversion of some flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026
Dubai Airports announces the diversion of some flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
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