Operations at the UAE’s key energy hub, the Fujairah Oil Terminal, were halted after a strike triggered a fire that sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
BY PC Burau
March 15, 2026: Fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks shook parts of the Gulf on Sunday, with loud explosions reported in Dubai and drones striking Kuwait International Airport, as the Middle East conflict entered its 16th day. Operations at the UAE’s key oil hub in Fujairah Oil Terminal were halted after a strike triggered a large fire.
Residents reported hearing powerful blasts in Dubai’s Marina and Al Sufouh districts as air defence systems intercepted incoming missiles and drones. Officials said the explosions were linked to successful interceptions carried out in response to Iranian attacks.
At the Fujairah oil terminal, thick black smoke billowed into the sky as emergency crews battled flames for hours. Authorities said a Jordanian national was injured in the incident.
Dubai’s media office said the sounds heard across the city were the result of air defence activity responding to aerial threats. Similar interception-related blasts were reported in central Dubai on Saturday and in the city’s downtown areas a day earlier.
Sunday’s strikes followed a sharp escalation after the United States targeted Iran’s critical oil export facility on Kharg Island. US President Donald Trump said American forces had “obliterated every military target” while avoiding damage to energy infrastructure on the island in the Persian Gulf.
⚡️Iran drone strikes UAE consulate in Erbil, — media.
Preliminarily, two security personnel were injured. The UAE called it a “cowardly terrorist attack”.
Meanwhile, media claim that an Iranian drone hit the branches of the American Citibank in Dubai (UAE) and Manama (Bahrain).… pic.twitter.com/fSxg06Y3a1
— BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) March 14, 2026
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Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has launched more than 1,800 missiles and drones toward the United Arab Emirates — more than against any other country in the region. According to officials, these included roughly 1,600 drones, 294 ballistic missiles and 15 cruise missiles, leaving six people dead and 141 injured.
The sustained attacks have put pressure on the UAE’s image as a regional safe haven. Authorities have warned residents against spreading rumours or sharing images of sensitive locations, including security installations and critical infrastructure. At least ten foreign nationals have been detained for allegedly posting footage of missile and drone strikes on social media.
Energy infrastructure across the Gulf has also come under threat. Facilities ranging from Ras Tanura Refinery in Saudi Arabia to Ras Laffan Industrial City and the complex housing the UAE’s Ruwais Refinery have been targeted during the conflict.
On Saturday, Iran issued its first direct warning to the UAE since the war began, urging civilians to evacuate three major ports that it described as “legitimate targets”, accusing the United States of using them for military operations.
Elsewhere in the region, loud explosions were reported over Tel Aviv as Iran fired another barrage of missiles toward Israel.
In Manama, authorities said air defence systems had intercepted 125 missiles and more than 200 drones since the start of Iran’s attacks. Six people have been arrested in the country for allegedly posting videos showing the aftermath of the strikes. Amid the escalating tensions, Formula One races scheduled in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next month have been cancelled.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Kharj Air Base, where US forces are stationed, also came under missile attack, while Jordan’s military said it intercepted 79 of 85 missiles and drones launched toward the kingdom.
As the fighting intensifies and Iran maintains pressure around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, President Trump urged major oil-importing countries — including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain — to deploy naval forces to secure the crucial shipping corridor.
“The countries of the world that receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — a lot,” Trump said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, maintaining its neutrality under international law, Switzerland rejected two US requests to allow military overflights linked to operations in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
