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Issued on: 17/03/2026 - 04:13Modified: 17/03/2026 - 04:16

Smoke rising from an area near the Dubai International Airport is seen through the windshield of a vehicle, after a drone attack hit a fuel tank, according to Dubai authorities. Smoke rising from an area near the Dubai International Airport is seen through the windshield of a vehicle, after a drone attack hit a fuel tank, according to Dubai authorities, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 16, 2026, © Reuters/Stringer

Explosions were heard over Dubai early on Tuesday as the United Arab Emirates’ military intercepted incoming Iranian missiles and drones, briefly forcing the country to close its airspace. The escalation came as Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran and Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and disruption to global energy supplies. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Yesterday's key developments:

  • Israel’s army said it had launched a “wide-scale wave of strikes” in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as strikes against Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

  • US President Donald Trump on Monday repeated his call to nations ‌to help reopen ‌the shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, saying some ‌countries told him they were on ‌the way and others were not "enthusiastic" about helping.

  • Drones and rockets attacked various targets in Baghdad, apparently targeting a US embassy.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)

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