Dubai–Abu Dhabi LIVE: 1,000 Indians evacuated from Qatar amid conflict; UAE halts operations at major refinery

About 1,000 Indian passengers travelled to New Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi on Qatar Airways flights on March 10, the Embassy of India in Qatar said in a post on X. The embassy added that it coordinated with the airline to facilitate travel for stranded Indian nationals and emergency cases. Another Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi is scheduled for March 11.

Meanwhile, one of the world’s largest refineries in the United Arab Emirates halted operations as a precaution after a drone attack on the industrial complex housing the facility. The Ruwais refinery stopped operations on Tuesday after a fire broke out in a nearby industrial area following the attack.

Qatar said it intercepted a missile strike on Tuesday and accused Iran of targeting the country’s civilian infrastructure. In a statement, foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari warned that attacks on regional energy facilities during the Middle East war could have global economic repercussions.
“The attacks on energy facilities that have happened, also on both sides, are a dangerous precedent… it will cause repercussions throughout the world,” he said.

A new report said the UAE has reduced oil output by 500,000 to 800,000 barrels per day, while Iran vowed that not a single litre of oil would be exported from the Gulf as long as its war with the United States and Israel continues.

UAE says targeting ‘unwarranted’

The United Arab Emirates said it was being targeted “in a very unwarranted manner” during the conflict but stressed it would not take part in attacks against Iran.
“The UAE does not seek to be drawn into conflict or escalation,” said Jamal Al Musharakh, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

Australia to help UAE counter attacks

Australia announced it would deploy a surveillance aircraft to the Middle East and provide the UAE with advanced air-to-air missiles to help defend against Iranian strikes and keep airspace open so stranded Australians can return home.

The UAE has shot down more than 1,500 rockets and drones since Iran began targeting countries around the Persian Gulf, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a statement, warning that the attacks pose growing risks to civilians.

Dubai supply chains holding steady

Despite the conflict, supermarket shelves in Dubai remain stocked as the food sector relies on logistics networks that proved resilient during the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2024 floods.

Some goods are being rerouted and transported by air or road, but authorities say the UAE has food reserves sufficient for several months and are monitoring prices closely. For now, shoppers are seeing little disruption, though concerns remain about how long stability can last after Iranian drones and missiles struck Dubai and other Gulf cities.

The conflict has also disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane, rattling oil markets and affecting the movement of commodities including gold. Ships carrying Indian rice, Australian meat and Indonesian coffee have been unable to pass through the strait.

Iran strikes Gulf energy facilities

Iran carried out fresh strikes on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, including a petroleum complex in Bahrain, sending oil prices higher amid fears of supply disruptions.

Bahrain’s Al Ma’ameer oil facility was hit, causing a fire and damage. State-owned energy company Bapco declared force majeure, becoming the latest Gulf producer to activate the legal provision.

Trump vs Iran’s Guards over ‘end of war’

US President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that the war with Iran could end soon, though he did not provide a timeline.

“I think soon. Very soon,” Trump told reporters in Florida when asked whether the conflict could end in days or weeks.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by saying it — not Washington — would determine when the war ends.

Trump also spoke about what he called an “ultimate victory” over Tehran’s clerical leadership, which over the weekend chose the son of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei as its new chief.