Dubai International Airport halted all flight operations Monday after a drone strike ignited a fuel storage tank near the airport, authorities confirmed. The incident forced the closure of one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.
The Dubai Media Office said civil-defense teams arrived within minutes, and no injuries were reported. Damage to the fuel tanks prompted airborne aircraft to circle outside the airport while emergency teams responded. Some inbound flights were redirected to Dubai World Central Airport, while aircraft further out were sent to alternate airfields, according to Flightradar.
Emirates, which had been operating at roughly 60 percent capacity in the days leading up to the incident, did not give a specific timeline for restoring full service. The airline warned passengers not to share booking details publicly, noting a rise in scams targeting travelers affected by the disruption.
A warning issued by Iran’s Media Operations Center circulated online before the strike, urging residents to leave certain parts of Dubai because of an alleged U.S. military presence. The event follows a series of attacks on Dubai’s infrastructure that began after the U.S.–Israeli campaign against Iran started on February 28. One earlier strike damaged Terminal 3 and resulted in injuries, prompting a temporary shutdown of several gates and additional security measures.
