What UAE residents need to know tonight: Tanker hijacked off Yemen, US aircraft carrier deployed in Middle East

Dubai: Tensions across the Middle East escalated on multiple fronts on Thursday, with a US aircraft carrier strike group arriving in the region, a tanker reportedly seized by armed men off Yemen, and President Donald Trump threatening further economic pressure on Iran.

Gulf states called for de-escalation over the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices climbed and UAE travellers continued to face flight disruptions.

Here is a roundup of the day's key developments:

US Navy carrier group arrives in Middle East

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the Middle East, arriving in the CENTCOM area of responsibility on Wednesday as part of a scheduled deployment.

"The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X.

Tanker boarded by armed men off Yemen

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an incident 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen.

According to UKMTO, a tanker travelling west through the Gulf of Aden broadcast a distress call on VHF Channel 16 after being approached by an unauthorised vessel.

UKMTO later received confirmation that six armed people had boarded the tanker, taken control of the vessel and redirected it towards Somalia.

Oman and Qatar call for de-escalation over Hormuz

Oman's Foreign Minister, speaking in Muscat alongside his Japanese counterpart, said lasting security in the Strait of Hormuz requires regional peace, restraint and diplomacy.

He also called for greater international efforts to protect freedom of navigation and ensure the flow of maritime traffic and energy supplies through the strategic waterway.

Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said traffic through the Strait of Hormuz should return to conditions before the war, adding that no party to the conflict should "blackmail" the other.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warn Saudi Arabia over Houthis

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Thursday that Saudi Arabia will not be able to contain the Tehran-backed Houthis in Yemen as the group increases attacks on the kingdom.

Separately, Lebanon's National News Agency reported heavy Israeli artillery shelling in southern Lebanon, including the towns of Wadi Al Salouqi and Al Hujair and the valleys of Qabrikha, Touline and Hula.

Trump pledges 'economic warfare', Iran calls it a diversion

US President Donald Trump pledged "economic warfare" against Iran and threatened countries that continue to trade with Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed Trump's plan, which he referred to as an "Economic D-Day", as an attempt to divert attention from what he described as an economic crisis in the United States.

In a post on X, Araghchi cited rising US debt and interest costs and accused Washington of "economic terrorism", saying US policies threaten the global economy and the sovereignty of countries worldwide.

Markets: Oil rises as tensions mount

European stocks fell on Thursday as oil prices rose further following Washington's threat of "economic warfare" against Iran.

The rise in oil prices outweighed some relief from a US move to push down high government bond yields, which had raised concerns about economic growth.

UAE flight advisory

UAE travellers continued to face an uncertain travel picture, with Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai operating a mix of scheduled routes alongside cancellations and delays.

Several international carriers have also extended suspensions of services to Dubai and other Middle East destinations as the regional security situation remains fluid.

Travellers flying from the UAE today should: