Middle East War: 8 things UAE residents need to know tonight, November 11

Dubai: Four crew members were injured when a projectile in the Arabian Gulf struck a tanker, while Iran has reported another tanker incident in the Strait of Hormuz.

The maritime incidents come as insurer Allianz Trade estimates that the war has caused more than $200 billion in physical damage across Gulf countries, with its economic impact expected to continue for years.

In Washington, lawmakers have blocked an attempt to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. At the same time, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the United States of using threats in its diplomatic approach.

UAE airlines also continue to adjust schedules, particularly on routes to Saudi Arabia.

Here are eight developments UAE residents need to know on Wednesday evening, November 11.

Four crew members were injured when the Liberia-flagged supertanker MT Fujairah Energy was struck by a projectile while transiting the Arabian Gulf on Tuesday, November 10.

India’s Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the injuries on Wednesday, saying six Indian seafarers were aboard.

One Indian crew member suffered minor injuries and was taken ashore for further medical examination.

The remaining 18 crew members, including five Indian nationals, were safe and accounted for, Sonowal said.

Indian authorities are monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the vessel’s management company.

The incident was separate from an attack reported by ADNOC Logistics and Services on Tuesday, when the company confirmed that one of its vessels had sustained damage in UAE territorial waters. ADNOC has not identified that vessel or disclosed the extent of the damage.

Iran’s army said on Wednesday that an oil tanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire in the eastern Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the navy claimed the vessel had entered a prohibited area without authorisation.

The tanker was not identified, and its condition, crew status and the extent of the damage have not been independently verified.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported an incident involving a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and advised vessels to exercise caution.

It did not identify the vessel or confirm the circumstances.

It remains unclear whether the Iranian announcement and the maritime agency’s report refer to the same incident.

Iran has restricted commercial shipping through the strategic waterway since the war began in February, while the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

The war has caused more than $200 billion in physical damage across Gulf countries, according to an assessment released by Allianz Trade on Wednesday.

The insurer said the destruction was concentrated in economies dependent on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly energy infrastructure.

Its report estimated that more than 80 energy facilities had been struck, mainly in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, with about a third severely damaged.

Allianz Trade also projected that the cumulative economic impact on GCC countries could reach $790 billion by 2030, equivalent to a 5.9 per cent gap in GDP compared with the pre-war growth trend.

The projection includes longer-term effects on sectors such as tourism and real estate.

The $790 billion figure forecasts cumulative economic losses through 2030, not damage already sustained.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington on Wednesday of pursuing diplomacy through military threats.

In a post on X, he criticised the United States over its use of advanced weapons in the conflict and questioned its stated commitment to international peace and security.

His remarks came as tensions continued over Iran’s nuclear programme and the conditions for ending the war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also condemned a US offer of up to $20 million for information about Iran’s nuclear facilities, equipment and personnel.

The reward was announced last week.

Araghchi urged the United Nations Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency to condemn the initiative, while repeating Tehran’s position that its nuclear programme is peaceful.

Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected Iran’s demand for war reparations, saying Washington would not agree to the payments sought by Tehran.

No agreement has been announced on ending the conflict.

The US House of Representatives voted 211–204 on Tuesday to block an immediate impeachment vote against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Lawmakers referred the impeachment resolution introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to the House Judiciary Committee.

The procedural move effectively halted the initiative for the remainder of the current Congress.

Massie had accused Hegseth of abusing his authority in military operations involving Iran, Yemen, Venezuela and the Caribbean, including conducting the Iran war without congressional authorisation.

President Donald Trump welcomed the result, describing it as an exoneration of his Defence Secretary.

However, the House did not vote on the substance of the impeachment allegations. It decided to refer the resolution to committee.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has unveiled what it describes as a new underground missile facility.

The IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency published images of the site on Tuesday, showing what it said were ballistic and cruise missiles alongside launch systems.

Senior Iranian military commanders attended the unveiling during the IRGC’s Aerospace Week.

Iranian media described the facility as a missile city but did not disclose its location, the number of weapons stored there or their specifications.

The facility’s scale and operational capabilities have not been independently verified.

US prosecutors have charged three men in connection with an alleged Iranian-linked plot targeting RAF Fairford, a British airbase used by the US military.

An indictment unsealed on Tuesday accused Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al Saadi, an Iranian-Iraqi national already detained in New York, of passing coded messages to associates planning an attack on the base.

Prosecutors alleged that he used telephone and video calls with family members in Iraq to communicate instructions.

Two other men, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali Al Hassani, were also charged. Neither is in US custody.

The case follows a September incident in which suspicious vehicles were reported near the airbase.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

UAE airlines continue to report disruptions, particularly on routes to Saudi Arabia.

Etihad’s Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh and Dammam remain cancelled through November 19, although selected Jeddah services have resumed.

Emirates has cancelled several November 11 services to Riyadh and Dammam, along with one flight to Jeddah. flydubai and Air Arabia have also reported selected Saudi cancellations.

Iranian-operated flights to the UAE remain suspended. Dubai-Tel Aviv services are affected, while Etihad continues Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv flights.

Passengers should confirm their flight status directly with their airline before travelling.

For flight-specific cancellations, resumption dates and travel advice, read the full UAE flight-status report for November 11.