For UAE residents, the widening US-Israel-Iran conflict is no longer a distant headline. It is showing up in cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia, diverted aircraft, and the growing prospect of costlier petrol and imported goods, as explosions near the Strait of Hormuz push oil prices higher and governments across the Gulf urge caution.
The conflict entered a more volatile phase on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Iranian state media reported explosions in southern Hormozgan province, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz, the first reported in the area this month after a relative lull. Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said signs of military confrontation between Iran and Israel had “noticeably intensified” and warned the two sides were nearing a “zero hour.”
The most immediate consequence for ordinary residents is air travel. Several flights to Saudi Arabia have been cancelled. Emirates and flydubai have cancelled services to three Saudi cities, Riyadh, Dammam and Abha, though Dubai-Medina flights were still listed as operating. Etihad has cancelled Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam through Saturday, October 24. The disruption has also affected Indian expatriates, with Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo suspending Saudi flights until October 24.
Travellers are advised to confirm their flight status, departure time and any rebooking arrangements before setting off, and to check directly with their airlines before leaving for the airport, since schedules can change at short notice.
The Saudi travel disruption follows a series of attacks on Saudi infrastructure this month, and those attacks carry a direct human toll for people in the region. AP reported that Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was open for domestic flights on Wednesday after multiple Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital. Later that day, an attack on King Fahd International Airport in eastern Saudi Arabia left one Saudi resident dead, according to the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority. Global flight-tracking service Flightradar24 said flights have been diverted away from the airport in Dammam. Saudi air defences also intercepted a drone targeting Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield near the UAE border, with falling debris killing two people and injuring two others.
While those incidents occurred in Saudi Arabia rather than the UAE, they underscore why residents should follow official UAE alerts and avoid spreading unverified claims. There is no new official UAE guidance telling residents to alter daily routines, though foreign advisories remain in place.
On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump declared late on Wednesday that the US is not negotiating with Iran, adding that “something” will happen “soon”. Trump, who wrote on October 8 that the US will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, has kept the door to talks visibly closed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that mediation efforts are welcomed, though the final decision on terms rests with Trump. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that Iran remains open to diplomacy if the US demonstrates a willingness to build trust and reach a resolution, but warned that if the US “chooses war over diplomacy, it’ll certainly result in an even greater strategic failure.” Iran had previously said the strait would remain shut until Washington accepted a seven-day deal, while Tehran rejected US-backed talks in Pakistan and set seven conditions, making diplomacy the key variable for de-escalation.
Meanwhile, military activity is intensifying alongside the rhetoric. US and Israeli officials confirmed that dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refuelling aircraft reportedly flew more than 800 miles along a route consistent with a potential strike on Iran, passing through Syrian and Iraqi airspace. Iran’s IRGC said it was shifting to an “offensive and asymmetrical” defence doctrine and threatened to invade any country that attacks it. The rhetoric signals a higher risk of escalation, although it does not by itself confirm an imminent attack on other Gulf states. On Thursday, the IRGC claimed it struck seven vessels in a single night, saying four vessels were hit simultaneously and caught fire while transferring oil between ships in the north-central Gulf, and that three other vessels hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire. The IRGC accused the US of encouraging ships to cross mined waters and warned that continued activity could lead to retaliation against US bases across the region. The US, meanwhile, ordered some diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia as fears of escalating Houthi attacks rise.
Economic pressure is also mounting, and it lands on household budgets. The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Panama- and Greece-based law firm Karnakis and Karnakis, along with shipping agents and vessels, over their alleged support for illicit Iranian shipping activity, saying the activity indirectly helped Tehran generate revenue to fund its military, weapons and nuclear programmes. The measures were announced under Operation Economic Outcast, which Washington said involves coordination with partners in Europe and around the world to cut off Iran’s remaining economic lifelines.
Oil markets remain sensitive to disruptions around Hormuz. Middle East producers have kept crude moving by expanding pipelines, offshore transfers and tanker shuttles that bypass the strait, with regional exports reaching more than 24 million barrels per day, up from 23.3 million before the war. Still, supply risks are pushing prices higher. As of 2.02pm Beijing (10.02am Gulf) on October 22, 2026, Brent jumped 2.25% to $111.3 per barrel, WTI rose 2.02% to $99.11, and Murban crude oil futures held steady at $110 per barrel, up $0.15 or 0.14%. For UAE residents, the practical effect may be higher petrol, transport and imported-goods costs over time, depending on how long shipping and insurance disruptions persist.
Four developments are worth watching: any confirmed strike or major escalation near Hormuz; the status of Saudi airport operations and UAE-Saudi flight schedules; official UAE emergency or civil-defence advisories; and oil-price movements.