Dubai, Abu Dhabi News Live: Dubai-Bound Emirates Flight Returns To Kochi After 'Security Incident'

Amid the conflict in West Asia, IndiGo announced further flight restrictions to and from Dubai. As per the statement by the airline, some flights scheduled to operate between March 15 and 17 have been affected. “Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations in Dubai have been further restricted, leading to changes in flight schedules. As a result, some flights scheduled to operate between 15-17 March have been affected,” the airline said in a statement.

Qatar Airways announced to operate limited flights from March 18 to the following destinations: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mumbai.

India’s embassy in Riyadh urged Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant, follow local advisories and avoid spreading unverified information amid the evolving regional situation.

Dubai is trying to maintain its reputation as a safe and stable destination even as Iran continues missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates. Authorities have also taken action against people sharing videos of the strikes, while social media influencers have begun promoting messages of support for the government.

For many years, the Gulf region was widely viewed as a place of stability in a turbulent Middle East. The UAE often highlighted its low crime rates and regularly described itself as one of the safest countries in the world.

However, the ongoing conflict has challenged that perception.

Iran has launched more than 1,800 missiles and drones towards the Emirates, making it the country most heavily targeted by Tehran during the current conflict. Although the UAE’s air defence systems have intercepted most of the incoming projectiles, the attacks have shaken the image of calm and security that the country has long promoted.

SpiceJet will operate seven special flights from Fujairah and two from Dubai to India on March 15 and 16. On March 15, the airline will operate two flights from Fujairah to Delhi and one to Mumbai, along with a special flight from Dubai to Pune.

On March 16, four special flights are scheduled to operate from Fujairah, while one additional flight will depart from Dubai to India, the airline said.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged other countries to deploy their warships to help safeguard global oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains virtually blocked amid the threat of Iranian attacks.

The Ministry of Defence said Kuwait’s air defence systems detected and intercepted two drones that targeted Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base, causing material damage in the vicinity of the base.

Air India and Air India Express on Saturday said they would curtail their ad-hoc flight operations on March 15 following the latest instructions from airport authorities in the United Arab Emirates.

IndiGo has announced changes in its flight schedule due to restricted operations in Dubai.

The official spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defence said that three drones were intercepted and destroyed in the eastern region of the country.

Iran’s military warned Saturday that ports in the United Arab Emirates could be “legitimate targets”, urging residents to avoid them, in a statement carried by state Television.

The UAE has strongly condemned a drone attack that targeted the UAE Consulate General in Iraqi Kurdistan for the second time in a week.

The strike injured two security personnel and caused damage to the consulate building.

UAE air defense system intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones today, March 14, amid the ongoing conflict in the region, according to a report by Gulf news.

Since the start of the Iranian retaliatory attacks against the US and Israel, UAE air defenses have dealt with 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1600 drones, the report added.

Aseem Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf), on Saturday said five Indians had been killed while one was injured during the conflict in West Asia.

Mahajan made the remarks during an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, news agency ANI reported.

“Our missions in Oman, Iraq, UAE remain in touch with the concerned authorities regarding the missing Indian national and for early repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased after completing requisite formalities,” he said.

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said Saturday the war with Tehran was entering a “decisive phase”.

“The global and regional struggle against Iran, led by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is escalating and entering the decisive phase that will continue as long as necessary,” Katz told military top officials in a televised statement.

A passenger who landed in Bengaluru from Dubai shared her experience amid the conflict in the region.

“There is no problem here, but in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it’s a big problem. However, the governments are very helpful, and they are supporting us as well. We are working in the healthcare department, and they are very smart and learning quickly… The current situation is okay now..,” she told news agency ANI.

The UAE Attorney-General has ordered the arrest of 10 defendants of various nationalities. The accused have been referred to urgent trial for publishing or sharing video clips containing misleading, fabricated content amid the ongoing conflict in the region, according to a report by Khaleej Times.

A 60-year-old UK tourist was charged under cybercrime laws in Dubai for allegedly filming Iranian strikes over the city, CNN reported, citing British authorities.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global trade and about 20 % of the world’s oil and gas exports, after war in the Middle East intensified this month. Shipping traffic through the strait has nearly halted, leaving many vessels and their crews stranded in the Gulf and exposed to rising risks at sea. Some sailors and ships are reported to be stuck with limited routes to safety, and insurers have pulled war‑risk cover for the waters. The closure threatens major disruptions to global energy supplies and trade.

A US official told ABC News that the United States Army has deployed nearly 10,000 AI-operated drones across the West Asia as tensions continue to rise amid the ongoing Iran War.

A fire erupted at Fujairah oil port, UAE, after a drone attack on Saturday.

Iranian media on Saturday reported that no oil infrastructure was damaged in US strikes on Kharg Island. According to Fars news agency, citing sources on the ground, the bombardment did not affect the island’s oil facilities.

The report came after US President Donald Trump said American strikes on Kharg Island had destroyed military targets.

Trump had earlier threatened in a social media post to target the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continued to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Kharg Island is a crucial hub for Iran’s oil exports, and any damage to its facilities could have significant implications for the country’s energy sector and regional oil supply.