Dubai International Airport Suspends Operations Amid Iran Strikes

Last Updated:February 28, 2026, 18:56 IST

Dubai airports have been closed until further notice after Iran launched retaliatory missile barrages across Gulf states following US-Israel strikes on Iran.

All flights in and out of Dubai have been halted after Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles across Gulf states in retaliation for joint US and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory Saturday.

Dubai Airports confirmed that both Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC), together handling one of the highest volumes of international air traffic in the world are suspended until further notice.

Passengers were told not to go to either airport, and to contact their airlines directly for updates.

Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier and the world’s largest international airline by passenger traffic, said all its flights are suspended until at least 11:00 p.m. local time Saturday, citing multiple regional airspace closures, according to reporting by Gulf News.

The shutdowns follow fast-moving escalations. The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran earlier in the day, a mission the US military named Operation Epic Fury.

President Donald Trump confirmed American forces had begun what he called “major combat operations" in Iran. Israel’s Defence Ministry said that the strikes were pre-emptive, targeting Iranian military infrastructure.

Iran responded with missile barrages aimed at US military installations across the Gulf. Explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama and other Gulf cities.

UAE air defence systems intercepted multiple incoming missiles, though falling debris from intercepts killed at least one person in Abu Dhabi, the UAE Ministry of Defence said. Debris landed in several Abu Dhabi districts, including Saadiyat Island and Khalifa City, according to Gulf News.

Witnesses in Dubai reported hearing loud blasts and seeing streaks of light cross the sky. The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate in Dubai ordered all staff to shelter in place and advised American citizens in the UAE to do the same.

Key US military sites targeted by the Iranian missiles included Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – the largest American military facility in the region, and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain’s Juffair district, where smoke was visible rising from the area, CNN reported.

Qatar described the strikes on its territory as a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty." Kuwait said its air defences successfully intercepted the attack. The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority announced a temporary partial closure of the country’s airspace as a precautionary measure, citing a security risk assessment done in coordination with national and international bodies.

Qatar Airways also suspended all flights to and from Doha until further notice. Iraq and Kuwait also closed their airspace. The European Union’s aviation safety agency issued a conflict-zone alert urging all airlines to stop flying over the Middle East and Persian Gulf until at least Monday, noting elevated risks across the region.

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