Dubai Airport Closed Today: The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority temporarily suspends flights at Dubai International Airport as a precautionary step, advising passengers to check with airlines for updates.
A drone incident near Dubai International Airport on Monday, March 16, struck a fuel tank in the area, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend flight operations, according to the Dubai Media Office.
“A drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) affected one of the fuel tanks,” the Dubai Media Office said in a statement on X.
According to the authorities, the fire triggered by the incident was quickly contained, and there were no reports of injuries. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to secure the area and manage the situation.
Flights to and from Dubai were temporarily suspended as a precaution while authorities assessed the situation and ensured safety at the airport, one of the world’s busiest international aviation hubs.
The development comes as regional tensions escalate, with a surge of missile and drone attacks across Gulf states linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Officials said the situation at the airport is being closely monitored, and further updates will be issued if necessary. Dubai Civil Defence teams confirmed that the situation is under control and that the fire has not spread.
According to a report by Reuters, the Gulf Arab states have faced more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, with targets including US diplomatic missions and military bases but also critical Gulf oil infrastructure, ports, airports, hotels and residential and office buildings.
The United Arab Emirates, which normalised ties with Israel, Iran’s regional rival, in 2020, has been hit hardest by the attacks. Nevertheless, all Gulf Arab states have been impacted and have denounced Iran, according to a report by Reuters.
West Asia conflict
Amid the evolving situation in West Asia, IndiGo on Sunday, March 15, announced further flight restrictions to and from Dubai.
According to IndiGo, due to the development, some flights scheduled to operate between March 15 and 17 have been affected.
“Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations in Dubai have been further restricted, leading to changes in flight schedules. As a result, some flights scheduled to operate between 15-17 March have been affected,” the airline said in a statement.
The conflict in West Asia has widened with the US, Israel and Iran targeting each other’s energy targets, threatening the global supply of oil and gas.
Spice Jet on Sunday announced that it is operating special flights from Fujairah in the UAE to India.
Spice Jet further said that flight operations to/from Dubai have been further restricted, which may result in changes to flight schedules.
