Iran strike disrupts Dubai airport as Israel expands Lebanon ground op

Flights at Dubai International Airport were temporarily suspended after an Iranian drone attack caused a large fire on Monday. Earlier in the day, another drone strike sparked a blaze at the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah, halting oil-loading operations.

The incidents underscore the widening regional fallout from the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States, now in its third week, as the Gulf continues to reel from a series of Iranian attacks.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that Britain is working with allies to come up with a “viable” plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane. Iranian attacks on vessels there have led many carriers to avoid transit altogether, causing major disruptions in the global economy.

Similarly, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters that the bloc will discuss at an EU foreign affairs meeting in Brussels later Monday what can be done from the European side to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

US President Donald Trump had said Saturday that “many countries” would be “sending warships, in conjunction with the US, to keep the strait open and safe.”

Iran’s armed forces threatened Monday to strike logistical and service facilities supporting the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford operating in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, Israel continued to strike Lebanon on Monday, including in Beirut’s southern suburbs and areas in the south, as Israeli forces pushed deeper into Lebanese territory. The Israeli military announced Monday the start of a “targeted ground operation against key targets” in southern Lebanon.

As the death toll in Lebanon climbed to 850, including more than 100 children, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that the government was not planning to hold direct talks with Beirut in the coming days, dismissing a report from Haaretz that negotiations were imminent.