- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:51 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Drone attack caused fire near Dubai International Airport.
- Fire contained, no injuries; flights temporarily suspended.
- Incident part of wider attacks on Gulf Arab states.
A fire caused by a drone attack on Monday near Dubai International Airport had been contained with no injuries reported, but flights were temporarily suspended, Dubai authorities said. "A drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) affected one of the fuel tanks", the Dubai media office said on X.
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announces the temporary suspension of flights at Dubai International Airport as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff. Travellers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding…
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026
Emirates airline also announced in a post on X the temporary suspension of flights to and from Dubai.
All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.
— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 16, 2026
Please do not go to the airport.
Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.
The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority… pic.twitter.com/m5eIloT2wk
Iranian attacks on Gulf states
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 relations with Iran's arch-foe Israel in 2020, has faced the brunt of the attacks. But all Gulf Arab states have been affected, and all have condemned Iran.
Indian airlines suspend flight operation to Dubai
Amid the evolving situation in West Asia, IndiGo on Sunday 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.
"Customers are requested to note the following: Customers are requested to check their flight status at bit.ly/31paVKQ before leaving for the airport. We are sending timely notifications to customers through their registered contact details. Customers may also contact our Customer Contact Centre at +91 124 6173838 for further assistance. We remain committed to supporting our customers, while keeping the safety of our customers, crew and aircraft our top priority," the airline said.
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.
(With inputs from Reuters)
