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Two Iranian drones struck near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, injuring four people, authorities said, though flights continued at the world’s busiest international hub.
The Dubai Media Office reported minor injuries to two Ghanaian and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national.
The attack comes amid rising regional tensions as Iran maintains pressure on the oil industry and shipping routes in the Gulf. Earlier Wednesday, a projectile hit a container ship off Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel. Kuwait intercepted eight Iranian drones, while Saudi Arabia reported destroying five drones aimed at its Shaybah oil field. Iran has effectively halted cargo traffic through the strait, a key route for nearly 20% of global oil shipments.
Israel, which launched military operations with the U.S. on Feb. 28, renewed strikes on Tehran and Lebanon. Explosions were reported in Beirut and southern Lebanon, including attacks on Iran-linked Hezbollah targets, killing at least seven people and bringing Lebanon’s death toll since the conflict began to nearly 500.
The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Jordan, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities.
Oil prices remain elevated due to fears of prolonged disruption in global energy supplies. Some tankers are making “dark” transits through the Strait of Hormuz, turning off tracking systems. Iran has resumed exports from its Jask terminal on the Gulf of Oman.
Concerns have also grown over the health of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since assuming office. Meanwhile, foreign nationals are leaving the region, with over 45,000 U.K. citizens and around 40,000 Americans evacuated since the war began.