US diplomatic missions in the United Arab Emirates suspended consular services as the security crisis in the region deepened. The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai announced they canceled all appointments scheduled for July 13-15. The embassy asked American citizens with appointments on those dates not to come.
The US mission stated that the 'ordered departure' status, under which non-emergency personnel have been evacuated from the country, remains in effect. As part of this, all routine visa services across the UAE have been suspended, and only limited emergency consular assistance is being provided to US citizens.
The suspension of consular activities came after military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that Iran carried out a cruise missile attack on two Emirati tankers navigating the strategic waterway within Omani territorial waters. In the attack on the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, one Indian crew member was killed and eight others were injured, four of them seriously.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) also confirmed it conducted a five-hour air operation targeting missile sites, coastal defense systems, drone facilities, and naval assets in southern Iran. This operation was the latest in the escalating conflict following the collapse of the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump announced that the blockade on Iranian ports would be reimposed and a 20 percent fee would be levied on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the measure would help finance US efforts to secure the vital waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic maritime chokepoints, carries a significant portion of global oil shipments. The renewed military clashes and threats to commercial shipping are raising concerns about global energy supply and regional stability.
