Dubai, Tel Aviv Resume Flights After Agreeing on Security Arrangements

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
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Dubai, Tel Aviv Resume Flights After Agreeing on Security Arrangements

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)

The Israeli security agency, the Shin Bet, announced an agreement between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv on the security arrangement to allow Israeli airlines to resume a full schedule of flights to Dubai.

Non-stop flights will resume on Sunday, with about 12 daily trips between Tel Aviv and Dubai.

Last week, the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, met with his Emirati counterparts and reached preliminary understandings on the matter.

The head of the Shin Bet security division held meetings in Dubai, during which the agreement on shared working principles and security arrangements was completed.

A dispute over airport security erupted about a year ago when the two Israeli airlines, El Al and IsrAir, requested a particular terminal at Dubai Airport for travelers to Tel Aviv, run by Israeli security men.

Dubai rejected the request, saying it is a violation of Emirati sovereignty and harms the work of the airport. It also indicated that it is unwilling to dedicate a terminal for the Israelis because of the millions of passengers at its airport.

Authorities also noted that dozens of airlines fly from Dubai to Tel Aviv without this arrangement, indicating the Israeli request is not logical.

In response, Israeli companies reduced their number of flights to Dubai, and about 50,000 Israeli citizens who bought tickets could not travel.

However, Emirati, Turkish, and European planes continued to fly from Dubai to Israel, incurring Israeli airlines significant losses.

Several advisers of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Ministry and Shin Bet officials contacted their counterparts in Dubai to resolve the crisis in recent weeks.

Israel’s Transport Minister Merav Michaeli held talks with international bodies to solve the crisis.

Michaeli claimed a misunderstanding in the communications between the two sides due to the many channels that caused the issue and explained to Bennett that the Emiratis wanted to work with one senior Israeli official authorized to address the matter.

Bennett assigned the head of the Shin Bet and his assistants to take charge, and talks with the Emiratis have been intensively conducted since last February.

Although the two parties did not disclose the details of the agreement and the nature of the security arrangements, they confirmed that the flights would resume Sunday.



Saudi Defense Minister Offers Condolences to Qatari PM on Passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman. (SPA)
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Saudi Defense Minister Offers Condolences to Qatari PM on Passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman held telephone talks on Wednesday with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to offer his condolences over the passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Prince Khalid expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy, praying for God's mercy and forgiveness upon the deceased.


Saudi Arabia, the UK to Support Vulnerable Groups in Yemen with $10 Million

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah signs the agreement. SPA
Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah signs the agreement. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, the UK to Support Vulnerable Groups in Yemen with $10 Million

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah signs the agreement. SPA
Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah signs the agreement. SPA

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah and Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Carl Skau have signed a cooperation agreement to support vulnerable groups in several Yemeni governorates.

The agreement forms part of Saudi Arabia's humanitarian and relief projects and programs delivered through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to assist people in need and those affected by crises around the world.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday via video conference in the presence of UK Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Alice Burt.

Under the agreement, KSrelief and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will each contribute half of a $10 million financial package to the WFP to support the project in Yemen's Al-Mahrah, Hadhramout, Aden, Al-Dhale, and Lahij governorates.

The agreement aims to address the food needs of the most vulnerable groups by providing asset-creation support activities for beneficiaries and improving their access to food through conditional cash transfers, enabling them to become less dependent on humanitarian assistance.

The project also includes rehabilitating productive infrastructure, helping targeted households transition from Phase 4 acute food insecurity to greater stability and self-reliance, implementing vocational training programs, developing beneficiaries' skills to enhance productivity, strengthening the capacities of local authorities, and activating governance systems to manage and sustain community assets.


Kuwait, Bahrain Say Intercepted Iran Attacks

Smoke rises after a drone was intercepted during early morning hours in Manama, Bahrain, July 14, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Smoke rises after a drone was intercepted during early morning hours in Manama, Bahrain, July 14, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
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Kuwait, Bahrain Say Intercepted Iran Attacks

Smoke rises after a drone was intercepted during early morning hours in Manama, Bahrain, July 14, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Smoke rises after a drone was intercepted during early morning hours in Manama, Bahrain, July 14, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday confirmed they had intercepted fresh aerial salvos from Iran as Tehran and Washington exchanged fire over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Kuwait's military said it was intercepting attack drones, and blamed "nefarious Iranian aggression,” with Bahrain's army later saying it "succeeded in intercepting and destroying a number of the treacherous Iranian aerial attacks.”

In the early hours of the morning, Bahrain's interior ministry said it had sounded warning sirens and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

Iranian state media reported Wednesday that Iran carried out separate attacks on US targets in Kuwait and Bahrain after US forces struck Iran.