Loud explosions were heard across Dubai on Tuesday as UAE authorities continued intercepting Iranian missiles amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, which shows no immediate signs of easing. Operations at Dubai International Airport were briefly suspended earlier in the day but later resumed, while air defense systems were activated across the city and other parts of the Emirates.
A drone strike triggered a fire at an oil storage facility in Fujairah, a UAE emirate on the Gulf of Oman that has been repeatedly targeted by Tehran. No injuries were reported in the incident.
In other Gulf nations, Saudi Arabia said its air defense systems intercepted a dozen drones over its Eastern Province, a region critical to its oil infrastructure. In Qatar, a fire broke out in an industrial area after a missile was intercepted, according to the interior ministry. Explosions were also reported in the capital, Doha, as air defense systems engaged incoming Iranian projectiles on Tuesday morning.
Iran, which has been targeting US bases and interests across the Gulf, has intensified its attacks following the US bombing of Kharg Island, a critical hub responsible for nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.
On Monday, an Iranian drone struck an oil tank near Dubai airport, sparking a massive fire and forcing flight operations to be suspended for several hours. Air India cancelled all its Dubai-bound flights for the day.
A similar incident occurred on March 7, when a drone alert prompted passengers at the airport to rush into underground train tunnels. Earlier, on March 1, an overnight Iranian attack damaged both the airport and the Burj Al Arab hotel, leaving four people injured at the airport.
Earlier this week, Iran urged the evacuation of three major ports in the UAE, marking the first time it has threatened non-US assets in a neighbouring country. Tehran alleged that the US used UAE ports and facilities to launch recent strikes on Kharg Island, home to Iran’s main oil export terminal.
The conflict, now in its third week, has claimed at least 1,300 lives in Iran, 850 in Lebanon, and 12 in Israel, according to official figures. The US military reported 13 service members killed and around 200 injured.