The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defence systems were responding to a missile and drone attack early on Friday, May 8, as renewed regional tensions threatened to undermine a fragile ceasefire in the Iran conflict.
In a statement posted on X, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority urged residents to remain in safe locations and follow official channels for warnings and updates.
The UAE Ministry of Defence later said sounds heard across the country were linked to ongoing operations against missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Authorities called on the public to remain calm and comply with safety instructions issued by relevant agencies.
The developments came hours after US forces said they had struck Iranian military facilities allegedly linked to attacks on American warships in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s armed forces claimed the strikes had hit civilian areas and commercial vessels.
The latest escalation has raised concerns over the stability of the ceasefire reached on April 8 following weeks of conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Iran says it seized Chinese-linked tanker in Gulf waters
Iranian state media said the country’s navy had carried out an operation to seize a tanker accused of attempting to export Iranian oil amid escalating tensions in regional waters.
According to IRIB News, the vessel was identified as “OCEAN KOI”. However, shipping monitoring platform TankerTrackers said the tanker had been operating under the name “JIN LI” since November 2025.
The tracking group said the vessel had transported Iranian hydrocarbons at least 16 times since 2021, including shipments loaded directly at Iranian ports and through ship-to-ship transfers offshore.
TankerTrackers added that the vessel’s ownership was based in Shanghai, China, and that it had been sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in February 2026.
Iran MP attacks US amid renewed Strait of Hormuz tensions
Iranian MP Ebrahim Rezaei criticised the United States in a post on X on Friday as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continued to escalate.
Rezaei mocked the US leadership and claimed American naval forces would not be able to pass through the strategic waterway despite their military presence, accusing Washington of acting “like a spoiled child”.
Iran internet blackout enters 70th day: NetBlocks
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks said on Friday that Iran’s nationwide internet blackout had entered its 70th day, surpassing 1,656 hours of disrupted connectivity.
UAE rejects transit fees in Strait of Hormuz
The UAE has rejected proposals to impose transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid growing diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to protect navigation in the strategic waterway.
UAE envoy to the UN Mohamed Abushahab said the country opposed any charges on vessels crossing the strait.
Saudi Arabia denies allowing airspace use for military operations
Saudi Arabia denied reports that it had authorised the use of its airspace for offensive military operations amid escalating tensions involving Iran.
Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said in a post on X that the Kingdom continued to support de-escalation, dialogue and ongoing negotiations, while warning against media reports citing anonymous sources claiming otherwise.
Iraq rejects US claims against sanctioned oil official
Iraq’s oil ministry denied US allegations against deputy minister Ali Maarij al-Bahadli after Washington sanctioned him over alleged links to Iran’s oil trade, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The ministry rejected accusations that Bahadli helped bypass sanctions by mixing Iraqi and Iranian crude, saying such export operations were not part of his responsibilities.
China voices concern after tanker attack near Hormuz
China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that an oil tanker carrying Chinese crew members was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said there were Chinese nationals on board the vessel, though no casualties had been reported.
Chinese outlet Caixin reported on Thursday that the tanker, owned by a Chinese company, came under attack near the strategic waterway on Monday.
India bond market dips amid renewed US-Iran conflict
Indian government bonds edged lower on Friday after oil prices rose amid renewed fighting between the United States and Iran, raising concerns over the fragile ceasefire and global energy supplies. Investor focus, however, remained on the auction of a new 10-year government bond, Reuters reported.
Israeli strike kills Lebanese civil defence worker in south Lebanon
A Lebanese civil defence worker was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, the rescue organisation said on Friday, a day after another attack killed a responder linked to the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee.
In a statement, Lebanon’s civil defence said the worker was killed when an Israeli strike targeted him on a road between two towns in the south, despite an existing ceasefire agreement.
Iran launches fresh drone strikes in Iraq
The Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI) said Iranian drones struck one of its bases in northern Iraq on Wednesday evening, marking the second reported attack on the group in a single day.
In a statement posted on X, the PDKI said three drones hit the Zewi Aspi camp. Earlier, two drones reportedly targeted the Girde Chal compound near Erbil, which houses relatives of PDKI members in Iraq’s Kurdish region.
Brent tops USD 100 as fresh Iran tensions hit oil markets
Oil prices rose on Friday after renewed US-Iran clashes threatened a fragile ceasefire and delayed hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
Brent crude gained 0.67 percent to USD 100.73 a barrel, while US WTI crude rose 0.47 percent to USD 95.26. Both benchmarks had jumped more than 3 percent earlier in the day.
The gains followed three sessions of losses amid optimism over a possible US-Iran peace agreement.
