A UAE government-owned Boeing 737 jet belonging to Royal Jet, owned by the UAE government, landed in Tehran, raising concerns of renewed tensions between the US and Iran. This follows a US State Department warning to US citizens across the Middle East, urging them to monitor airport and airline operations and develop contingency plans. The UAE was one of the most hawkish Gulf states towards Iran after the US and Israel attacked its neighbour in February 2026, and the UAE joined the US and Israel in launching hundreds of strikes on Iran. Abu Dhabi also tried to prevent mediation from Pakistan. The Gulf state faced thousands of missile and drone strikes, with its port of Fujairah, which sits…
Key points
The UAE government-linked jet landing in Tehran is a sign of renewed tensions between the…: The UAE government-linked jet landing in Tehran is a sign of renewed tensions between the US and Iran.
The UAE was one of the most hawkish Gulf states towards Iran after the US and Israel atta…: The UAE was one of the most hawkish Gulf states towards Iran after the US and Israel attacked its neighbour in February 2026.
The Gulf state faced thousands of missile and drone strikes, with its port of Fujairah, w…: The Gulf state faced thousands of missile and drone strikes, with its port of Fujairah, which sits just outside the Strait of Hormuz, being repeatedly attacked by Iranian strikes targeting infrastructure that allows for the export of oil.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
A Boeing jet known to carry senior UAE officials landed in Tehran on Monday for the second time in a few days, amid fears that the US could resume attacking Iran and spark new strikes on Gulf states.
A Boeing 737 belonging to Royal Jet, a private charter owned by the UAE government, arrived in Tehran on Monday from Abu Dhabi. The aircraft made the same journey on Saturday, according to open-source intelligence analysts.
The flights come amid heightened risks of a return to full-scale war between the US and Iran. The US State Department issued a warning on Sunday to US citizens across the Middle East.
“Americans traveling to or from the Middle East should monitor information about airport and airline operations and develop contingency plans… Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas,” the warning said.
The UAE was one of the most hawkish Gulf states towards Iran after the US and Israel attacked its neighbour in February 2026. The UAE joined the US and Israel in launching hundreds of strikes on Iran. Abu Dhabi also tried to prevent mediation from Pakistan.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is cutting monthly aid to 500,000 people in Gaza due to a funding shortfall, despite ongoing food shortages. The agency will reduce assistance to 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, receiving either food or cash assistance in reduced amounts. The WFP said its efforts had mitigated the effects during a famine last year, but conditions have not improved to the point that it can take away aid.
Israeli fighter jets have been observed over multiple locations in the Middle East, including southern and eastern Syria and Muthanna governorate in southern Iraq, prompting concerns about regional tensions. This sighting underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions and the potential for increased military activity in the region.
A Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, has asked the Supreme Court to allow federal judges to quickly determine the legality of immigration-related detentions, following a ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that found federal courts do not have jurisdiction to review the legality of detentions until immigration courts had fully considered each case. Khalil, a lawful permanent U.S. resident, was detained for over three months due to his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. If the Supreme Cou…