Dubai temporarily halted flights at its main international airport after a drone struck facilities, setting back the aviation hub’s efforts to restore operations as the Iran conflict enters its third week.
Local authorities announced the suspension hours after a drone strike caused a fire at a nearby fuel tank on Monday, which forced aircraft to circle outside the airport while emergency teams responded. The fire was successfully contained, Dubai’s media office said in a post on X. No injuries were reported.
Dubai, the world’s busiest international hub, has faced a series of attacks since the Iran war started, disrupting flights regularly. The suspension follows a brief disruption days earlier that was caused by another attack.
Emirates, the largest carrier operating out of the airport and the world’s largest international carrier, also confirmed the suspension of flights. The airline urged passengers not to go to the airport.
Emirates is operating at a significantly reduced number of flights than it typically serves, and the frequency of flights remains restricted with regular airspace closed.
In the wake of the suspension, flights have been diverting to Dubai World Central Airport instead, according to Flightradar24.
