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United Arab Emirates

March 4, 2026

Abu Dhabi 4:50 pm

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A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026.

Analysis

Iran’s assault reveals Gulf defense gaps and reliance on US tech and intel

The recent Iranian strikes on bases, airports and energy facilities across the Gulf have exposed gaps in the GCC's defense architecture.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP via Getty Images

US-Iran war rattles global stocks as UAE trading set to resume

An Emirates passenger plane is landing at Frankfurt Airport from Dubai International on March 3, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany.

Gulf air corridors reopen cautiously as evacuations take shape

Nearly 1,900 of more than 5,450 flights scheduled to the Middle East were canceled Tuesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

United Arab Emirates

Small boats loaded with merchandise sail past the St. Kitt's and Nevis-flagged container ship Marsa Victory in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Khasab in Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula, on June 25, 2025.

Hormuz traffic slows as Iran threatens to set 'ships on fire'

Maritime intelligence company Lloyd’s List reported on Sunday that no traceable passages have been made by major crude tankers through the Strait of Hormuz since Saturday night.

Latest News

Analysis

From oil to data centers, US-Iran war takes key Mideast infrastructure offline

A food delivery bike drive close to a plume of smoke rising from the Zayed Port following a reported Iranian strike in Abu Dhabi on March 1, 2026. Iran's retaliatory missile and drone campaign in the Gulf has killed three people and wounded 58 in the United Arab Emirates since it began, Emirati authorities said on March 1, the day after the US and Israel launched a nationwaide attack on Iran killing its supreme leader. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP via Getty Images)

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

What US-Iran war means for oil prices, shipping and global markets

A cargo ship is pictured off the coast of Fujairah in the Strait of Hormuz, in the northern emirate, Feb. 25, 2026.

Iran pounds Gulf, regional states after US-Israel strikes: What to know

A smoke plume rises over Abu Dhabi from the site of an Iranian missile strike on February 28, 2026. Iranian missiles hit capital cities around the wealthy Gulf on February 28, killing at least one, in retaliation for a US and Israeli attack that threatened to spark a wider conflict. One civilian died in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, after being struck by falling debris, according to the ministry of defence. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

UAE-Saudi fracture to test Egypt’s security-economy tradeoff

This handout picture released by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on February 23, 2026, shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) welcoming Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (L) upon his arrival for an official visit at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. (Photo by Ahmed NURELDINE / SPA / AFP via Getty Images)

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Karabakh, Sept. 16, 2025.

UAE’s MBZ meets Azerbaijan's Aliyev as Abu Dhabi expands South Caucasus footprint

In July, Azerbaijan and the UAE signed an economic partnership agreement and Abu Dhabi hosted peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

United Arab Emirates

Islamabad airport

Analysis

UAE bets big on Pakistan: Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure drive for Asia influence

Abu Dhabi is making multi-pronged investments in a broad push into Pakistan’s transport and trade sectors.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

An Xpeng AeroHT X2 Flying Car is seen on display in Hong Kong on May 17, 2024

China-made flying car makes first test flight in UAE: What to know

The Chinese company is facing competition from a US firm that is currently developing an air taxi service in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

Guests attend a policy dialogue on Embracing Emerging Opportunities in times of Economic Uncertainty during the 10th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, China, Sept. 10, 2025.

Hong Kong inks agreements with Gulf partners at BRI Summit

Some 36 business agreements covering finance, technology, logistics, professional services and education were set to be signed at the event.

A worker fits solar panels onto frames during construction at South Africa's first municipally owned solar plant, during International World Environment Day, on June 5, 2025, in Atlantis near Cape Town.

Saudi firm to pump $700M into economic zone developer in Africa

The kingdom's Vision Invest will invest in pan-African developer Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, which will use the funds to expand across the continent and develop green industrial ecosystems.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (L) welcomes Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) to Hamad International Airport in Doha, on Sept. 10, 2025.

UAE president visits Qatar, bans Israel from Dubai Airshow after Doha strikes

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan threw his country’s support behind Qatar, saying the Israeli strikes on Qatari territory violated international laws.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images

UAE’s new AI K2 Think chases DeepSeek moment in Gulf tech race

The Gulf state has launched K2 Think, an open-source reasoning model designed to speedily and efficiently tackle math and logic problems.

United Arab Emirates

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

UK's Revolut enters Middle East fintech market with UAE licenses

The Central Bank of the UAE has granted Revolut in-principle approval for stored value facilities and retail payment services licenses.

United Arab Emirates

Chinese President Xi jinping attends a photo session for participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit 2025 on Sept. 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China.

China calls on BRICS to boost multilateral trade as Iran, UAE eye closer ties

The UAE’s and Egypt’s trade with BRICS members is on the rise, while Iran’s efforts to increase economic ties are complicated by sanctions.