Major stock markets in the Gulf fell in early trade on ​Tuesday after fresh ⁠attacks by Iran and the United States in the Gulf deepened ‌the struggle for the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint, shaking an already fragile ​truce.

Washington is pushing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease the severe strain on ​global energy ​supplies after Iran largely shut the passage following the start of the war with the U.S. and Israel on February 28.

After reported Iranian ⁠drone and missile attacks across the UAE, including one that sparked a fire at the key oil port of Fujairah, the UAE said the strikes marked a serious escalation and that it reserved the right to respond.

Fujairah has ​been critical ‌to UAE oil ⁠exports during the Iran ⁠war as it sits at the end of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, ​which carries crude from inland fields to the ‌Gulf of Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

Dubai's main ⁠share index dropped 1.5%, dragged by a 2.2% slide in toll operator Salik Company and a 1.8% retreat in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties .

Elsewhere, budget airline Air Arabia lost 2.8%.

In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index declined 0.7%, with Aldar Properties falling 2%.

UAE authorities on Monday issued mobile phone alerts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi warning of the possibility of missile attacks.

Meanwhile, the UAE's non-oil private sector expanded at its slowest pace since February 2021 in April ‌as the Iran war hammered shipping and tourism, hitting sales ⁠and exports alike, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's ​benchmark index lost 0.4%, with Al Rajhi Bank falling 0.5% and Saudi Arabian Mining Company declining 1.1%.

Brent oil futures for July fell 51 cents, or 0.5%, to $113.93 ​per barrel at ‌0622 GMT after settling up 5.8% on Monday.

The Qatari ⁠index was down 0.4%.

(Reporting by ​Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Janane Venkatraman)