Dubai Airport has begun limited operations again after a drone attack on a fuel depot near the airport caused a severe fire on Monday morning, amid the Middle East war crisis where Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE in retaliation against the US and Israel.
A drone-related incident caused a fire in a fuel storage tank near Dubai International Airport, severely impacting travel. Dubai authorities stated that officials have controlled the fire and no injuries have been reported.
Dubai Airport announced on the X platform that "both inbound and outbound flights from DXB are gradually resuming some routes after a temporary suspension for safety reasons." Meanwhile, Emirates Airlines said it will operate on a limited schedule and urged passengers to check flight status before coming to the airport.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the airport area around 10:00 a.m. local time. Passengers waiting to board were evacuated to the lower floor of the terminal for several hours for safety. One passenger shared, "It has been very difficult these past few weeks hearing explosions regularly, but I never thought Iran's attacks would haunt me right up until the last hour before flying home."
This incident is part of Iran’s retaliatory strategy after an attack on an oil depot in Tehran plunged the city into darkness last week. Data shows that Iran has launched more than 1,900 missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates since the war began, the highest number compared to other countries in the region.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense reported intercepting more than 60 drones east of the country since midnight Monday. The UAE reported six fatalities—four civilians and two military personnel—from a helicopter crash incident.
Analysts view that after US and Israeli strikes devastated Iranian leadership groups, Iran shifted targets to US assets as well as critical civilian infrastructure including airports, ports, and oil refineries around the Persian Gulf, aiming to destabilize economic stability in Dubai as a global financial hub.
Although the UAE’s air defense system has intercepted most explosive objects, the drone crash injuring four people last Wednesday and today’s fuel depot fire underscore the growing threat encroaching closer to civilian areas.