Dubai-Abu Dhabi News LIVE update: Smoke was seen rising near the United States embassy in Kuwait City on Monday (March 2) as Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone campaign spread across the Arabian Gulf, rocking Bahrain and Qatar with fresh explosions, killing at least three people in the United Arab Emirates and bringing a near-critical flight across one world corridor. standoff – the most dangerous escalation of the conflict since US and Israeli strikes seventy-two hours ago killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials.
🔴Update at 12:30 – Akasa Air, Qatar Airways announce flight cancellations
Akasa Air on Monday (March 2) announced the suspension of all flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh on March 3 and offered affected passengers a full refund or free rescheduling for all bookings made until March 7, with another update promised by 6pm IST.
Qatar Airways, meanwhile, confirmed that its flight operations remained temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, adding that services would only resume once the airspace was declared safe by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority – with a further update by 09:00 Doha time on the 3rd.
🔴Update at 12.24 – A fresh explosion was heard in Dubai, Abu Dhabi
Explosions rang out in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama and Kuwait City on Monday, AFP reporters and local witnesses said, as Iran’s retaliatory bombing against US-Israeli airstrikes entered its third day. Bahrain has confirmed its first casualties since the start of Tehran’s crackdown, bringing the total death toll in the Gulf since Saturday to five.
🔴Update at 12.20 – Gold price in Dubai rises amid war
Gold prices in Dubai topped Dh9 per gram on Monday morning as markets reacted to the ongoing conflict in the region.
🔴Update at 11:50 a.m. – US Embassy Kuwait issues alert
The United States Embassy in Kuwait issued an urgent security alert on Monday, warning citizens to stay away from the embassy grounds and take immediate cover, citing the continued threat of missile and drone attacks over Kuwait.
🔴 Smoke seen near US Embassy in Kuwait, witnesses report
According to a Reuters witness report, witnesses reported smoke rising near the United States Embassy in Kuwait City. The news – which could not be independently verified at the time of publication – came as Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed a separate drone strike at its international airport caused minor injuries and limited structural damage to the passenger terminal.
Explosions heard in Doha and Bahrain as Iran expands attacks in the Gulf
The busiest skies in the Persian Gulf fell silent on Monday as Iran expanded its retaliatory missile and drone campaign deep into the Arabian Peninsula, with explosions heard in the Qatari capital Doha and sirens wailing across Bahrain. Journalists on the ground in both cities reported distant explosions, while Bahrain’s interior ministry urged residents to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.
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The widening conflict, now entering its third day, has turned the region’s most stable economic corridors into an active theater of war. What began as a targeted US and Israeli campaign against Iran’s leadership has escalated into a multi-front crisis stretching from Tehran to the Gulf coast, with the United Arab Emirates bearing the biggest civilian toll outside of Iran itself.
Three dead, 58 injured in UAE as Iranian drones attack Dubai monuments
Three people were killed in the UAE – a Pakistani, a Nepalese and a Bangladeshi – while 58 others of various nationalities, including Emiratis, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Filipinos, Indians, Sri Lankans and Afghans, were injured, Khaleej Times reported.
Iran fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at targets across the Emirates. The UAE Air Defense Force intercepted much of the fire – destroying 20 ballistic missiles, shooting down eight into the sea and neutralizing two cruise missiles, while also intercepting 311 drones – yet 21 drones still managed to hit civilian targets.
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The UAE Ministry of Defense has since confirmed the interception of a “third wave” of Iranian missiles, although debris from the downed drones landed in the yards of two houses and injured two other residents. Dubai’s iconic skyline was not spared: fires and smoke were reported at The Palm waterfront and the Burj Al Arab hotel. Four people were injured near Palm Jumeirah, with ambulances rushed to the scene as witnesses described thick black smoke rising from the hotel on the man-made island. The Dubai Media Authority later confirmed “an incident in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area that resulted in a fire”.
“Dubai Civil Defense has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control. Four people were injured and taken to medical facilities,” the authority said.
A satellite image shared by Reuters showed thick black smoke rising over an industrial area in Dubai.
Damaged Dubai International Airport; Partially closed UAE airspace
Dubai International Airport – one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs – suffered partial damage after a suspected airstrike hit one of its main terminal buildings. Airport authorities confirmed that “one concourse at Dubai International sustained minor damage in the incident which was quickly brought under control”, with four staff injured.
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Operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) remain suspended until further notice. Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed that a drone struck its airport, causing minor injuries and “limited” damage to the passenger building.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has imposed a temporary partial closure of UAE airspace as a precautionary measure, leaving flight tracking screens across the region virtually blank. Passengers were advised to avoid traveling to the airport and to contact airlines directly.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Airport said one person was killed and seven injured in what authorities described as an “incident”.
UAE closes embassy in Tehran, condemns Iran strikes as violation of international law
The United Arab Emirates announced the closure of its embassy in Tehran and the withdrawal of its ambassador and diplomatic staff, and summoned Iran’s envoy to Abu Dhabi to accept a formal protest against what it called “Iranian terrorist attacks”.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a scathing statement: “These hostile attacks against civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports and service facilities, threaten innocent civilians in a serious and irresponsible escalation and constitute a flagrant violation of national sovereignty, as well as a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
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Trading on the UAE’s two main exchanges – the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) – has been suspended until Tuesday, March 3, as markets absorb the economic shock. The Burj Khalifa was reportedly evacuated on Saturday as a precaution.
Israel attacks Tehran, Hezbollah opens second front
As the gulf buckled under Iranian fire, Israel claimed it had struck “the heart of Tehran”, with Iranian state media reporting that Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Tehran’s Niloofar Square and damaged Gandhi Hospital and a nearby police building.
Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and killed at least nine people in the central city of Beit Shemesh. The Israeli military on Monday confirmed a new barrage of Iranian missiles fired at Israel. “Defense systems are working to intercept the threat,” the Israel Defense Forces said, adding that advance warnings had been sent to cellphones in the affected areas.
Hezbollah simultaneously opened a second front, firing rockets into northern Israel in what it described as an act of revenge for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Israel launched retaliatory attacks on Lebanon.
Indians are stuck in Dubai, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
Thousands of Indian citizens remain stranded in the Gulf region. Among them are actors Subhashree Ganguly and Sonal Chauhan, both nabbed in Dubai. Ganguly’s husband, TMC legislator Raj Chakraborty, confirmed that she and their minor son were holed up in a hotel. “We are deeply concerned, although civilians are known to be safe in Dubai. We will see when flight operations resume,” he said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Indian government was making constant efforts to ensure the return of stranded nationals, describing the situation as “volatile”. “Even flying a plane there is dangerous,” warned Joshi.
This is a developing story. This article will be updated as events develop.
