UAE residents' update: Trump’s Hormuz claim, ADNOC attack and flight cancellations

The US-Iran conflict remains centred on the Strait of Hormuz, with tensions rising after President Donald Trump said he could declare the strategic waterway US territory. Iran has rejected the claim and said the strait will remain under its authority.

For UAE residents, the developments continue to have implications for regional security, shipping, energy prices and air travel.

Key developments at a glance

• Trump vows to claim Hormuz: US President Donald Trump said he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory “pretty soon” after defeating Iran.

• Iran rejects the claim: Tehran said the strait “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian”, adding that it will only be opened or closed under Iran’s authority.

• Trump defends Iran war: Trump said he would “never apologise” for military action against Iran, arguing that higher petrol prices are a worthwhile cost to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He insisted: “I did the right thing.”

• Hormuz traffic remains low: Only 151 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past seven days, with traffic at just 17% of the pre-conflict average, according to UKMTO.

• US blockade continues: CENTCOM said its forces have redirected 62 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two while enforcing the blockade against Iran.

• ADNOC vessel attack: ADNOC confirmed that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. No injuries were reported and the situation was brought under control.

• US carrier rotation: The USS George Washington is heading towards the Middle East and is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent more than 240 consecutive days at sea.

• Iran-US talks uncertain: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not decided whether to resume negotiations with Washington, although Qatar and Pakistan have exchanged messages with both sides.

• Shipping remains severely disrupted: The US blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, while the alternative Southern Omani route continues to face security risks.

ADNOC confirms vessel attack

ADNOC confirmed that one of its vessels came under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening. The company said there were no injuries and the situation was brought under control.

• UAE condemns attack: The UAE strongly condemned the targeting of two ADNOC-affiliated vessels, warning that attacks on commercial shipping threaten regional stability and global energy security.

• Regional condemnation: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League also condemned the attacks on the UAE vessels, stressing the need to protect commercial shipping and freedom of navigation.

UAE flights: Check before travelling

UAE travellers flying today should check their flight status before leaving for the airport.

Etihad Airways continues to operate some Abu Dhabi-Bahrain services, while other flights on the route have been cancelled until August 21.

Emirates’ status for selected Dubai-Kuwait and Dubai-Bahrain services was unavailable at the time of checking, with the airline saying updates would be available 24 hours before departure.

Air Arabia has reported cancellations on several UAE-regional routes, while flydubai says its Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia services are operating as scheduled.

Several international airlines have also suspended or modified selected UAE and regional services. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has extended its conflict-zone advisory covering Gulf airspace until August 31.

What UAE residents should do today

For residents, the immediate priorities are to monitor official UAE and airline updates, check flight status before travelling, allow extra time at airports and avoid relying on unverified reports about the conflict.

With Hormuz traffic still far below normal and tensions continuing between Washington and Tehran, developments around the waterway remain closely linked to shipping, fuel prices, regional security and travel disruption.