Dubai, a major global commercial hub that does not host a US base, was attacked by Iran on Saturday, prompting the closure of its airspace and widespread disruption across the Gulf region.
The UAE Ministry of Defence announced that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a new wave of Iranian missiles and drones launched towards the country. The Ministry said the operation was carried out with high efficiency and resulted in limited material damage.
Missiles were intercepted by the UAE Air Defence system, with debris falling in several areas in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Dubai authorities later confirmed that an incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area.
The Ministry affirmed its full readiness and preparedness to deal with any threats, stressing that all necessary measures are being taken to firmly confront attempts to undermine the country’s security and stability. It emphasised that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors remains a top priority that cannot be compromised.
Calling the targeting a blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law, the Ministry asserted the UAE’s full right to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, people, sovereignty, security and stability. It also urged the public to rely only on official sources and avoid spreading rumours or unverified information.
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and secured the site. Dubai Civil Defence said the resulting fire was brought under control. Four individuals sustained injuries and were transferred to medical facilities.
Authorities reiterated that the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority and urged the public to remain calm and refrain from circulating videos or images on social media.
The escalating situation across the Gulf region followed a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran early Saturday, after days of build-up during which US President Donald Trump increased pressure on Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal. In Dubai, five large blasts were heard late in the afternoon. While normal life continued in some areas, some grocery delivery apps showed heavy delays, with users appearing to order in bulk.
The developments led to significant disruption in flight operations. Regional airspace closures affected several flights across the Gulf. Dubai Airports said some flights were cancelled or delayed at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) due to the partial closure of UAE airspace.
Dubai Airports owns and manages the operations and development of both DXB and DWC. Over 100 airlines operate flights to and from Dubai, connecting it to countries across continents.
International aviation reports indicated that over 700 flights were cancelled at Dubai alone, affecting thousands of passengers and prompting airlines to reassess schedules.
Air India cancelled all its flights to and from the Gulf region, including services to Abu Dhabi (AUH), Dubai (DXB), Dammam (DMM), Doha (DOH), Jeddah (JED), Muscat (MCT), Riyadh (RUH) and Tel Aviv (TLV), according to a statement posted on social media.
The temporary suspension of flight operations at Dubai’s airports is expected to significantly affect Indian aviation, given the scale of traffic between the two countries. Following regional airspace restrictions triggered by military developments in Iran, civilian operations at DXB and DWC were paused, leading to widespread cancellations and rerouting.
