Live. Gulf states report drone attacks early on Monday as Iran war enters day 17

The United Arab Emirates’ Defence Ministry said its forces were intercepting Iranian missiles and drones fired early on Monday morning.

It comes just hours after authorities in Dubai confirmed that a drone hit a fuel tank at the Dubai International Airport, prompting roads leading to the international hub to be temporarily closed.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call to discuss regional developments with the UAE’s President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement released by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry early on Monday.

The two leaders said the continued “Iranian attacks against Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries represent a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability,” adding that GCC states will continue efforts to defend their countries

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have closed the main road and tunnel leading to Dubai International Airport after it was earlier reported that an Iranian drone hit a fuel tank at the airport, causing fire with no casualties.

Dubai Police urged drivers to use alternative roads.

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said early on Monday that it downed an additional large barrage of 35 drones in the country’s eastern region, one of the kingdom’s least dense, close to Iran and home to major oil installations.

This brings the total number of drones intercepted to at least 60 in the last few hours.

The ministry did not immediately report casualties or damage.

US President Donald Trump says he has demanded seven countries to join an international coalition aimed at policing the chokepoint Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, sending warships and military assets to help escort oil vessels through as global crude prices continue to reel from the war in Iran.

The US president declined to name the countries heavily reliant on Middle East crude that his administration is negotiating with to join the initiative amid Iranian attacks, which have effectively closed the crucial waterway.

“I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory, because it is their own territory,” Trump told reporters on Sunday.

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The Australian government says warships won’t be sent to the Middle East to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping following US President Donald Trump’s demands.

US President Donald Trump said that he has demanded “about seven countries” send warships to keep the strategic waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil exports pass, open, as Iranian strikes continued to rain down on Gulf Arab countries.

Australia’s Transport Minister Catherine King told local media outlets on Monday that she was not aware of Canberra receiving such a request.

“We won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is, but that’s not something that we’ve been asked or that we’re contributing to,” she said.

Australia said last week it was providing the UAE with an air force surveillance jet and air-to-air missiles to help defend against Iranian attacks, but a government statement said Australia was “not taking offensive action against Iran.”