The conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has entered its third week, with tensions spreading across the Middle East and raising fears of a wider regional war.

Iran on Saturday warned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that its ports could become targets, accusing the United States of launching attacks on Iranian oil facilities from Emirati territory, according to international media reports.

Tehran alleged that U.S. forces used locations near Dubai to carry out strikes on Iran’s key oil hub on Kharg Island and nearby areas. The island is a crucial terminal for Iranian crude exports and a major pillar of the country’s oil industry.

Following the allegation, Iran urged civilians to evacuate major UAE ports, including Jebel Ali, Khalifa and Fujairah, warning they could be targeted if they continued to support U.S. military operations.

A drone-related incident later sparked a fire near the oil facilities at Fujairah port, one of the region’s important energy hubs, though there were no immediate reports of major damage in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s actions were intended to counter attacks on its territory but stressed that Iran was trying to avoid strikes on densely populated areas.

The United States has not directly responded to Iran’s claims about the alleged use of UAE facilities.

Meanwhile, tensions have sharply escalated around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran’s oil infrastructure could be destroyed if Tehran attempts to disrupt global oil shipments. At the same time, he called on major powers—including Britain, China, France, Japan and South Korea—to send naval forces to help secure the strait and keep shipping lanes open.

Iran, however, said the strait remains open for international trade but not for ships belonging to countries it accuses of attacking or supporting attacks against it.

The conflict has also spread beyond the Gulf. A missile strike hit the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, prompting Washington to urge American citizens to leave Iraq immediately amid fears of further attacks by Iran-backed groups.

In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah group have intensified, killing more than 800 people and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.

At the same time, the United States is reinforcing its military presence in the region. About 2,500 additional Marines have been deployed, along with naval assets, marking one of the largest U.S. military buildups in the Middle East in decades.

Analysts say the rapidly expanding conflict, attacks on energy infrastructure and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have significantly raised the risk of a wider regional war and disruption to global oil supplies.