UAE travelers faced continuing route changes Thursday amid the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, while oil benchmarks fell as regional output increased and fighting remained muted, Gulf News reported.
The UAE airspace was operating, but Iranian-operated flights to the country remained suspended. Emirates and flydubai services to Tel Aviv were also affected, the outlet said. Etihad had canceled all passenger and cargo flights to Dammam and Riyadh through Nov. 19; its Jeddah service resumed Nov. 6. Emirates canceled several flights to Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah on Nov. 11, while other Jeddah and Medina services continued. flydubai canceled four Dammam flights and kept Riyadh and Abha routes suspended through Nov. 16, with service to Jeddah, Medina, Tabuk and Taif continuing. Emirates had partly resumed flights between Dubai and Bahrain, but its Dubai-Kuwait route remained suspended, Gulf News reported.
Notices from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) covered Iran and five Gulf states: the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. They were listed as valid through Nov. 16 unless revised sooner. Gulf News advised passengers to check airline apps and official airport channels and follow updates from the UAE Defence Ministry, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local emergency authorities.
Brent futures for January delivery fell 1.54% to $91.22 a barrel, while the December West Texas Intermediate contract declined 1.5% to $85.26. Gulf News gave the price snapshot as 11:28 p.m. ET Nov. 11 (12:28 p.m. Singapore time Nov. 12). The outlet linked the declines to higher Middle East production and muted fighting between Iran and the United States. Brent had risen 1.4% Wednesday and remained more than 50% higher for the year.
Gulf News reported that UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) recorded two attacks on commercial vessels Nov. 10 and another Nov. 11. The U.S. military said it was enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran claimed control of the strait and said it had attacked ships passing through it. Gulf News said these competing claims had not been independently verified. The outlet said uncertainty over shipping insurance, fuel costs and regional supply chains affected shippers and residents.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Iranian state media that Washington must “make and announce” a decision on Tehran’s latest proposal, Gulf News reported. Iran had rejected a U.S. proposal to transfer its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% to a third country. Gulf News identified updated aviation notices, airline schedules, diplomatic developments, Hormuz traffic and air-defense activity as indicators to watch; the current EASA notices were due to expire Nov. 16 unless revised.
