US-Israel war on Iran enters Day 34: U.S. to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ for 2-3 weeks, Trump says; Abu Dhabi responds to drone incident; latest updates
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Timeline
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OxfordAQA becomes first UK exam board to cancel UAE exams for Summer 2026: Report -
UAE intercepts 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones in latest Iranian attack -
Bahrain says air defences have intercepted 188 missiles and 429 drones since start of Iranian aggression -
Top UAE diplomat says Iran turned a bridge of prosperity into a launchpad for aggression -
Saudi defence ministry says four drones intercepted and destroyed -
UAE warns of imprisonment and heavy fines for spreading rumours or misleading news -
UAE reassures Iranian community amid inaccurate media reports on residency status -
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed calls US President Trump to discuss Iranian attacks and regional security -
Bahrain says air defences have intercepted 186 missiles and 419 drones since start of hostilities -
ADNOC chief warns Hormuz disruption threatens global economy, calls for collective action -
US President Donald Trump: ‘Our enemies are losing and America is winning’ -
Air defence interception near Abu Dhabi’s KEZAD causes minor damage with no injuries -
US-Israel strikes on Iran: As it happened
Live Updates
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OxfordAQA becomes first UK exam board to cancel UAE exams for Summer 2026: Report
OxfordAQA has cancelled its IGCSE and International A Level exams in the UAE for Summer 2026, becoming the first UK exam board to confirm such a cancellation in the region, according to a report by Which School Advisor.
In an email to UAE schools, OxfordAQA said the decision was made after consulting closely with the Ministry of Education, schools, and other international exam boards. The cancellation is known to affect IGCSE English as a Second Language, among other OxfordAQA-assessed subjects, with schools now awaiting guidance on alternative assessment methods.
The move follows earlier cancellations affecting IB and CBSE students due to ongoing disruption. Other UK exam boards, including Pearson Edexcel, AQA, and Cambridge International, have yet to make further announcements regarding their summer exams, Which School Advisor reported.
Arcadia British School Executive Principal Giles Pruett said that if exams are cancelled more broadly, schools would likely move to a teacher-assessed grades model based on mock exams, formal assessments, and coursework, noting that early syllabus completion means schools have a strong portfolio of validated evidence for every student.
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UAE intercepts 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones in latest Iranian attack
UAE Air Defence Forces intercepted 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones launched from Iran on April 2, 2026.
Since the start of Iranian attacks, the UAE has cumulatively intercepted 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and 2,038 drones.
The attacks have resulted in the deaths of two UAE armed forces members, a Moroccan civilian contracted by the military, and nine civilians of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, and Indian nationalities. A total of 191 people have been injured with wounds ranging from minor to severe, among nationals from dozens of countries including the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and others.
The Ministry of Defence affirmed it remains on high alert and fully prepared to counter any threats, firmly responding to all attempts to undermine the country’s security, sovereignty, and stability.
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Bahrain says air defences have intercepted 188 missiles and 429 drones since start of Iranian aggression
Bahrain’s General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announced that air defences have intercepted and destroyed 188 ballistic missiles and 429 drones targeting the kingdom since the onset of Iranian aggression, according to the Bahrain News Agency.
The BDF emphasised that the use of ballistic missiles and drones against civilian areas and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, adding that the indiscriminate attacks represent a direct threat to regional peace and security.
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Top UAE diplomat says Iran turned a bridge of prosperity into a launchpad for aggression
UAE Presidential Adviser Dr. Anwar Gargash said the Iranian northern coast along the Arabian Gulf was historically a space for communication and prosperity among its peoples – Arabs, Lurs, Persians, and Baloch – but that the Iranian regime had transformed it into a platform for aggression against its neighbours.
Gargash pointed to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement affirming that the country hosts an Iranian community that enjoys respect and appreciation within a model based on tolerance and the rule of law, contrasting what he described as “a mind that builds life” with “another that sees only in destruction a path.”
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Saudi defence ministry says four drones intercepted and destroyed
Saudi Ministry of Defence Spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki announced that four drones had been intercepted and destroyed within the past few hours, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
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UAE warns of imprisonment and heavy fines for spreading rumours or misleading news
UAE authorities have reminded the public that publishing or circulating rumours, misleading news, or any content that contradicts official announcements – or that may cause panic or harm to public security, order, or health – is prohibited. Legal penalties apply, including imprisonment and fines of no less than AED200,000.
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UAE reassures Iranian community amid inaccurate media reports on residency status
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the country is home to a respected Iranian community that forms an integral part of its social fabric and contributes to its diversity and openness.
The ministry addressed what it described as inaccurate media claims circulating about the residency status of the Iranian community, reassuring residents that the UAE’s institutional approach is guided by established procedures and frameworks that safeguard the safety and wellbeing of all members of society without exception.
The UAE, home to more than 200 nationalities, reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a safe and stable environment based on the rule of law, and to protecting the rights of all residents in line with its enduring values of tolerance and coexistence.
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UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed calls US President Trump to discuss Iranian attacks and regional security
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss regional developments and their implications for regional and international peace and security, as well as their impact on maritime security and the global economy.
The two leaders also discussed the continued Iranian attacks targeting the UAE and other countries in the region, including strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, noting that such actions constitute a violation of sovereignty and international law and undermine regional security and stability.
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Bahrain says air defences have intercepted 186 missiles and 419 drones since start of hostilities
Bahrain’s General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announced that air defences have intercepted and destroyed 186 ballistic missiles and 419 drones since the onset of hostilities, according to the Bahrain News Agency.
The BDF emphasised that the use of ballistic missiles and drones to target civilian areas and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, adding that the indiscriminate attacks represent a direct threat to regional peace and security.
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ADNOC chief warns Hormuz disruption threatens global economy, calls for collective action
ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber warned that the situation affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz – only 33 kilometres wide – is not a regional issue but one that threatens global economic stability as a whole.
Dr. Al Jaber said that “Iranian interventions in this vital waterway represent unacceptable economic pressure that the international community cannot ignore,” noting that Asian economies were the first to feel the impact through reduced working hours, fuel rationing, fewer flights, and energy restrictions, with repercussions now extending to Europe through rising food and energy prices.
He stressed that any disruption to the strait affects the daily lives of billions of people, from food and airline costs to energy bills and medicine prices.
Around 20 per cent of global energy flows pass through the waterway, along with approximately 50 per cent of global sulphur supplies – a key component in pharmaceuticals and fertilisers – and about 30 per cent of global liquefied petroleum gas used in everyday household consumption.
Dr. Al Jaber called on the international community to take decisive collective action to ensure freedom of navigation and safeguard global economic stability, highlighting the importance of adhering to UN Security Council Resolution 2817 to guarantee secure passage through the strait.
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US President Donald Trump: ‘Our enemies are losing and America is winning’
US President Donald Trump warned that if no deal is reached, the US would hit “each and every one” of Iran’s electric generating plants “very hard and probably simultaneously,” in a televised address to the nation.
Trump declared that after 32 days of military operations, Iran has been “eviscerated” and is “no longer the bully of the Middle East,” adding that “we have all the cards, Iran has none.”
He said Iran’s navy is “gone,” its air force is “in ruins,” most of its leaders are dead, and the command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is “being decimated.”
Trump framed the campaign as a generational investment, saying the US is “on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” and closed with a defiant declaration: “Our enemies are losing and America is winning.”
Trump also thanked Middle East allies, singling out Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, saying they have “been great” and pledging that the US would not let them “get hurt or fail in any way, shape, or form.”
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Air defence interception near Abu Dhabi’s KEZAD causes minor damage with no injuries
Abu Dhabi authorities responded to an incident in the vicinity of Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) following the successful interception of a missile by air defence systems, resulting in minor damage but no injuries.
The public was reminded to rely on official sources only and to refrain from spreading rumours or unverified information.
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US-Israel strikes on Iran: As it happened
Day 26 – US-Israel conflict on Iran enters Day 26: Trump says war is ‘won’, in talks with ‘right people’, Kuwait airport hit, latest updates
Day 6 – US-Israel conflict on Iran: Fresh strikes on Tehran, UAE flight status, latest updates
Day 5 – US‑Israel conflict on Iran: UAE affirms right to self‑defence, latest updates
Day 4 – US-Israel strikes on Iran: Latest updates – everything you need to know
Day 2 – Israel-US strikes Iran: Latest updates
Day 1 – Israel launches ‘pre-emptive attack’ on Iran as explosions hit central Tehran
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JD Vance. Image credit: Shutterstock
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