In a statement, the ministry said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of the requirements of the current phase and was taken in coordination with relevant partners.

It added that the move was made at the UAE’s own discretion.

Türkiye and Qatar signed a series of agreements and a joint declaration on Wednesday as part of the 11th Meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani witnessed the signing of several agreements between the two countries after they co-chaired the 11th Meeting of the High Strategic Committee in Doha.

Earlier, the two leaders met one-on-one and held inter-delegation talks at the Emir's Diwan.

“Joint Declaration on the 11th Meeting of the High Strategic Committee between the Republic of Türkiye and the State of Qatar” was signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

“Memorandum of Understanding between the Presidency of Strategy and Budget of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the State of Qatar on Cooperation and Experience Sharing in Various Areas of Strategic Development Planning” was signed by Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Trade Minister Omer Bolat, and Secretary-General of Qatar’s National Planning Council Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Khalifa.

“Joint Ministerial Statement between the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the State of Qatar” was signed by Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani.

“Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Defense Industry” was signed by President of Türkiye’s Defense Industry Agency Haluk Gorgun and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani.

Following his official visit to Qatar, President Erdogan and his delegation departed for Oman on Wednesday, the final stop on his three-day Gulf tour.

The strikes are the latest in a series of attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and Houthi militants in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.

The Israeli military said it had struck military camps, the headquarters of the Houthi military “propaganda” department, and a fuel storage site.

The Houthis’ military spokesperson denied in a statement later that Israel had targeted missile launchers. “Its strikes targeted purely civilian targets,” he said.

He added that the offices of two newspapers had been targeted and that journalists and passers-by had been killed or wounded in those attacks. He gave no figures.

Sanaa residents told Reuters the attack had targeted a hideout between two mountains that is used as a command and control headquarters. The extent of any damage was not immediately clear.

The Israeli strikes also targeted the Houthi defense ministry, witnesses said.

The attack came days after an August 30 strike on Sanaa killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government and several ministers, in the first such assault to target senior officials.

“The strikes were carried out in response to attacks led by the Houthi terror regime against the State of Israel, during which unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles were launched toward Israeli territory,” the Israeli military said.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have attacked vessels in the Red Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

They have also fired missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted. Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed US President Donald Trump at the al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, where the two leaders are set to have a joint meeting.

The Crown Prince also met Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was introduced by Trump during talks at the palace.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also met with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

Trump is set to meet with senior Saudi officials during his meeting with the Crown Prince.

Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday morning for what he described as a “historic visit” and the first stop in a four-day sweep through the Gulf region.

The US presidential plane was escorted by Saudi F-15 fighter jets as it made its way towards the King Khalid International Airport, where the Saudi crown prince was waiting his arrival on the ceremonial lavender carpet.

The Yemeni Houthi group said Sunday that the American-British coalition had carried out three airstrikes on their stronghold city of Saada in northwestern Yemen.

“The American-British aggression aircraft launched three raids in eastern Saada,” reported Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV.

The channel gave no further details about the location of the strikes or their consequences, and there was no immediate comment from the US or Britain.

Saada, considered the Houthi group’s main stronghold, shares a land border with Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing a genocidal Israeli war since October 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or ones linked with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, vowing to continue operations until the attacks on the enclave end.

Since the beginning of 2024, a coalition led by the US has been carrying out airstrikes that it said target Houthi locations in Yemen in response to the group’s Red Sea attacks. They have been occasionally met with retaliation from the Houthis.

With the intervention of Washington and London and escalating tensions, the Houthis announced that they consider all American and British ships military targets.

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The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his consort, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad Al Thani, who began a high-profile state visit to the UK the day earlier, marking a significant step in strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between the Gulf state and Britain, would have a busy schedule on Tuesday, attending two major events.

Tuesday's itinerary also includes a special exhibition at Buckingham Palace honoring Qatar's contributions and partnerships.

The emir and Sheikha Jawaher will attend a state banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla later in the evening.

The visit, which began on Monday, features a ceremonial welcome, royal engagements, and key talks aimed at advancing a potential free trade agreement between the UK and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Earlier on Monday, the Qatari royal couple landed at Stansted Airport and were greeted at Kensington Palace by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

The royals and their guests traveled to the Horse Guards Parade in central London, where Charles, 76, welcomed the emir with a ceremonial reception.

Camilla, 77, was unable to attend the arrival due to a persistent chest infection but was scheduled to attend later events.

King Charles and the emir inspected a guard of honor before embarking on a grand carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where they received a second guard of honor.

On Wednesday, the emir will visit the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before concluding his visit with a bilateral meeting at Downing Street with Prime Minister Starmer.

The day will end with a formal dinner hosted by the Lord Mayor of London and the City of London Corporation.

Trade relations are a focal point of the visit, with Starmer hoping to secure a deal that could add £1.6 billion (approximately $2 billion) to the UK economy.

The UK’s trade with the GCC is valued at £57 billion (about $72 billion) annually, according to the British government.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the United Arab Emirates on a private visit, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Yemen's Houthi group claimed on Friday that the US and UKca rried out 12 airstrikes on several cities, including the capital Sanaa, Dhamar, and Al Hudaydah province.

According to the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV channel, four airstrikes targeted the Al-Sayanah area in the Ath'thaorah district of Sanaa. The channel also reported seven strikes on Al Hudaydah International Airport and the Al-Khatib area in Al Hudaydah, a strategically important province with three major ports and an extensive coastline.

Additionally, an airstrike reportedly hit the southern part of Dhamar, approximately 100 kilometers south of Sanaa, according to the channel. Al-Masirah did not provide details on casualties or damage, and there has been no immediate response from the US or UK regarding the allegations.

Yemeni media activists circulated videos on social media, showing smoke rising from areas in Sanaa and Al Hudaydah, which they claim were impacted by the strikes.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi had accused Israel and the US of launching 39 airstrikes on Yemen earlier in the week.

Since the beginning of 2024, a US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes in Yemen, asserting that the attacks are in response to Houthi aggression in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have retaliated by targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in solidarity with Gaza, which has been under Israeli assault since Oct. 7 of last year.

The US and Britain launched two airstrikes Thursday against Houthi sites in Yemen, according to the Yemeni group.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah television reported that the attacks targeted the Al-Jabana area in western Al Hudaydah province.

No details were yet available about casualties or damage.

There was no immediate comment from the US or the UK on the report.

Al Hudaydah is a major Yemeni province with three important ports and a long coastline.

The Al-Jabana area is home to one of the Houthi air defense camps, according to Yemeni media.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said earlier Thursday that Israel and the US had conducted 39 strikes on Yemen during the week.

A coalition led by the US has been conducting airstrikes since the beginning of 2024 that it said are targeting Houthi locations in Yemen in response to attacks by the group in the Red Sea.

The counterattacks have been occasionally met with retaliation from the group.

The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7 last year.

"In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle and two Iranian-backed Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Red Sea," it said in a statement.

The weapons presented a "clear and imminent threat" to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region, CENTCOM said.

"This reckless and dangerous behavior by Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and security," it added.

More than 39,600 Palestinians have been killed in nearly 10 months since Israel launched its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip that began on Oct. 7, following an attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas.

While Yemen's Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Gaza, the onslaught has sparked increased regional tensions across the Middle East, with the latest escalation coming last week when Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran.

Hamas and Iran accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, while Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its involvement.

Israel is on high alert for a potential military response from Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which also vowed to retaliate following the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike last week on a suburb of Beirut.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A possible attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Monday targeted a ship further away from nearly all of the previous assaults they've launched in the Gulf of Aden, officials said, potentially part of a widening escalation by the group.

The attack comes as the U.S. has sent the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower back home after an eight-month deployment in which it led the American response to the Houthi assaults. Those attacks have reduced shipping drastically through the route crucial to Asian, Middle East and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip rages on.

The attack happened Monday morning in the Gulf of Aden some 450 kilometers (280 miles) southeast of Nishtun, a town in the far reaches of Yemen that's close to the border with Oman, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. That region for long has been held by forces allied to Yemen's exiled government, which has battled the Houthis since the rebels took the capital, Sanaa, back in 2014.

The attack was just off to the northeast of Yemen's Socotra Island, also held by allies of the exiled government.

“The master of a merchant vessel reports an explosion in close proximity to the vessel,” the UKMTO said. “The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.”

It offered no other immediate information about the attack.

Suspicion immediately fell on the Houthis, who did not immediately claim the assault. It can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their attacks. Somali pirates have been known to operate in the region as well, though they typically seize vessels for ransom rather than launch attacks against them.

However, the attack happened near the outer reaches of the Gulf of Aden where it becomes the Arabian Sea and then ultimately the Indian Ocean. Of the more than 60 attacks launched by the Houthis since November that specifically targeted vessels, this would be one of the furthest.

In May, a Portuguese-flagged container ship came under attack by a drone in the far reaches of the Arabian Sea in an attack claimed by the Houthis. However, the distance at which it was struck led experts to question whether Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, could have launched the attack. The Houthis have claimed attacks later assessed to have been conducted by Iran, including the 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil fields that temporarily halved the kingdom’s energy production.

The Houthis have made a series of claims without evidence they've targeted vessels at even greater distances, even though there's been no independent confirmation of any of those attacks actually taking place.

The rebels have fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war — including those bound for Iran.

The attack comes as the U.S. has sent the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower back home after an eight-month deployment that saw it lead the American response to the Houthi assaults. Those attacks have seen shipping drastically drop through the route crucial to Asian, Middle East and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip rages on.

The drone attack happened around dawn off the coast of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It said the vessel sustained damage but its mariners on board “were reported safe.” It did not elaborate on the extent of the damage, but said an investigation was ongoing.

The private security firm Ambrey identified the ship involved as a Liberia-flagged container ship bound for Qingdao, China.

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.

The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war — including those bound for the Houthis' main benefactor, Iran.

The Eisenhower, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is returning home after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II. The San Diego-based USS Theodore Roosevelt will take the Eisenhower’s place after a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific, said Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

The attacks come as the U.S. Navy faces the most intense combat it has seen since World War II in trying to counter the Houthi campaign — attacks the rebels say are meant to halt the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. However, the Iranian-backed rebel assaults often see the Houthis target ships and sailors who have nothing to do with the war while traffic remains halved through a corridor vital for cargo and energy shipments between Asia, Europe and the Mideast.

U.S. strikes destroyed seven radars within Houthi-controlled territory, the military's Central Command said. It did not elaborate on how the sites were destroyed and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.

“These radars allow the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping,” Central Command said in a statement.

The U.S. separately destroyed two bomb-laden drone boats in the Red Sea, as well as a drone launched by the Houthis over the waterway, it said.

The Houthis, who have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, did not acknowledge the strikes, nor any military losses. That's been typical since the U.S. began launching airstrikes targeting the rebels.

The Central Command said one commercial sailor from the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk cargo carrier Tutor remained missing after an attack Wednesday by the Houthis that used a bomb-carrying drone boat to strike the vessel.

“The crew abandoned ship and were rescued by USS Philippine Sea and partner forces,” Central Command said. The “Tutor remains in the Red Sea and is slowly taking on water.”

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Saturday afternoon that the Tutor was “still on fire and sinking.”

The missing sailor is Filipino, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency, which cited Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. He said most of the Tutor's 22 mariners were from the Philippines.

"We’re trying to account for the particular seafarer in the ship and are praying that we could find him,” he said Friday night.

Also on Saturday, Central Command said the vessel M/V Anna Meta rescued crew members from the cargo carrier M/V Verbena, which was struck Thursday in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen in two separate missile attacks by the Houthis.

The crew abandoned ship after being unable to bring fires on the vessel under control. One mariner was severely wounded.

CENTCOM said the Verbena is a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated bulk cargo carrier that had docked in Malaysia and was on its way to Italy carrying wood.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, killed three sailors, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

The war in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians there, according to Gaza health officials, while hundreds of others have been killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. It began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.

“The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza and yet they are targeting and threatening the lives of third-country nationals who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza,” Central Command said. “The ongoing threat to international commerce caused by the Houthis in fact makes it harder to deliver badly needed assistance to the people of Yemen as well as Gaza.”

The attacks continued early Sunday as two explosions struck in close proximity to another ship in the Red Sea, though the ship and crew were safe, the British military said.

The use of a boat loaded with explosives raised the specter of 2000's USS Cole attack, a suicide assault by al-Qaida on the warship when it was at port in Aden, killing 17 on board. Associated Press journalists saw the Cole in the Red Sea on Wednesday, now taking part in the U.S. campaign while visiting one of her sister ships, the USS Laboon.

Yemen's military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the vessel targeted as the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Tutor. He described the attack as using a “drone boat,” as well as drones and ballistic missiles.

In a warning to shippers, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center described the vessel as being hit in its stern by a small white craft southwest of the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeida.

The captain “reports the vessel is taking on water, and not under command of the crew,” the UKMTO said. He also “reports the vessel was hit for a second time by an unknown airborne projectile."

The U.S. military's Central Command also acknowledged the attack, saying the Tutor “most recently docked in Russia.”

“The impact of the (drone boat) caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room,” it added.

The U.S. military separately destroyed three anti-ship cruise missile launchers in Houthi-held Yemen, as well as one rebel drone over the Red Sea. The Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles over the Red Sea, but they caused no damage, Central Command said.

The Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital nearly a decade ago and have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition since shortly after, have been targeting shipping throughout the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

They say the attacks are aimed at stopping the war and supporting the Palestinians, though the attacks often target vessels that have nothing to do with the conflict.

The war in Gaza has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians there, while hundreds of others have been killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. It began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, killed three sailors, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

Associated Press journalists on an embark with the U.S. Navy were interviewing Cmdr. Eric Blomberg, the commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Laboon, when the alert came in on the attack. Blomberg took multiple calls from sailors on board the vessel, giving updates on the apparent attack.

The Laboon is one of the destroyers accompanying the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and both has shot down Houthi fire and escorted vessels through the region. Though Blomberg and others stressed they were still investigating the attack, he said it appeared the vessel targeted had nothing to do with the Israel-Hamas war.

The Houthis “hit ships that are completely not associated or tied to the U.S. or Israel at all,” Blomberg said.

“These are just innocent merchant sailors carrying goods through the Red Sea, trying to get it through the least-expensive route, and they're paying for it,” he said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates struggled Thursday to recover from the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation, as its main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads.

Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, allowed global carriers on Thursday morning to again fly into Terminal 1 at the airfield.

“Flights continue to be delayed and disrupted, so we urge you to only come to Terminal 1 if you have a confirmed booking,” the airport said on the social platform X.

The long-haul carrier Emirates, whose operations had been struggling since the storm Tuesday, had stopped travelers flying out of the UAE from checking into their flights as they tried to move out connecting passengers. Pilots and flight crews had been struggling to reach the airport given the water on roadways. But on Thursday, they lifted that order to allow customers into the airport.

Others who arrived at the airport described hourslong waits to get their baggage, with some just giving up to head home or to whatever hotel would have them.

The UAE, a hereditarily ruled, autocratic nation on the Arabian Peninsula, typically sees little rainfall in its arid desert climate. However, a massive storm forecasters had been warning about for days blew through the country's seven sheikhdoms.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. An average year sees 94.7 millimeters (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport. Other areas of the country saw even more precipitation.

The UAE's drainage systems quickly became overwhelmed, flooding out neighborhoods, business districts and even portions of the 12-lane Sheikh Zayed Road highway running through Dubai.

The state-run WAM news agency called the rain “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.”

In a message to the nation late Wednesday, Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, said authorities would “quickly work on studying the condition of infrastructure throughout the UAE and to limit the damage caused.”

On Thursday, people waded through oil-slicked floodwater to reach cars earlier abandoned, checking to see if their engines still ran. Tanker trucks with vacuums began reaching some areas outside of Dubai's downtown core for the first time as well. Schools remain closed until next week.

Authorities have offered no overall damage or injury information from the floods, which killed at least one person.

“Crises reveal the strength of countries and societies,” Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, wrote on X. “The natural climate crisis that we experienced showed the great care, awareness, cohesion and love for every corner of the country from all its citizens and residents.”

The flooding sparked speculation that the UAE's aggressive campaign of cloud seeding — flying small planes through clouds dispersing chemicals aimed at getting rain to fall — may have contributed to the deluge. But experts said the storm systems that produced the rain were forecast well in advance and that cloud seeding alone would not have caused such flooding.

Jeff Masters, a meteorologist for Yale Climate Connections, said the flooding in Dubai was caused by an unusually strong low pressure system that drove many rounds of heavy thunderstorms.

Scientists also say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires around the world. Dubai hosted the United Nations’ COP28 climate talks just last year.

Abu Dhabi’s state-linked newspaper The National in an editorial Thursday described the heavy rains as a warning to countries in the wider Persian Gulf region to “climate-proof their futures.”

“The scale of this task is more daunting that it appears even at first glance, because such changes involve changing the urban environment of a region that for as long as it has been inhabited, has experienced little but heat and sand,” the newspaper said.