After the drone attack on Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, flight services started gradually resuming on Monday. Officials said that due to the threat posed by the attack, flights had to be stopped for some time, which affected global aviation traffic.

This incident has happened at a time when the ongoing war between America, Israel and Iran has made the airspace of the Middle East unstable. Due to the threat of missile and drone attacks, many countries have limited or closed their airspace, due to which flights have to be cancelled, diverted or rescheduled. Along with this, rising fuel prices have increased both the cost and pressure of airlines.

Services are gradually being restored
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said that gradual resumption of flights has been started for selected places. According to Dubai Media Office, services are being normalized in a phased manner after reviewing the security situation. Emirates Airline said it planned to partially resume operations from 06:00 GMT the morning after the attack. According to the airline, a fuel tank near the airport was affected, although there were no reports of any injuries.

All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.

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

— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 16, 2026

Emirates informed on its website that some flights had to be cancelled, while its sister airline Fly Dubai had also temporarily stopped flights. Many flights were diverted towards Al Maktoum International Airport.

Third attack, increasing concern
This is the third incident at Dubai Airport since the attacks carried out by Iran on Gulf countries since February 28. Iran says its attacks are aimed at targeting the US military presence in the region. However, civil facilities like airports, hotels and ports have also been affected in these attacks. Many Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, host US military bases. Despite this, these attacks pose a serious threat to civil aviation and infrastructure.

Impact on global air traffic
Due to closure of airspace in the Middle East due to war, airlines around the world are having to find new routes. This is not only increasing the time of flights, but is also affecting fuel costs and ticket prices. More than 2,000 missile and drone attacks have been recorded in the Gulf region since February 28, with US embassies, military bases, oil infrastructure and residential areas also being targeted.

Challenge of restoring normalcy
Experts believe that the recent attack on Dubai Airport shows that it will not be easy for airlines to bring operations back to normal amid regional tensions. There is a possibility of long-term impact on the aviation industry due to safety risks and rising costs. The resumption of flights may have started at Dubai Airport after the drone attack, but the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has posed a major challenge to global aviation, both in terms of security and cost.

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This morning, an Iranian drone attacked the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB), causing a massive fire in a fuel tank. On March 16, 2026, Dubai Media Office posted on

Civil defense team controlled the fire

Immediately after the drone attack, Dubai Civil Defense teams arrived and brought the fire under control. The official update says that the fire is now completely under control. There is no news of any injury or death in this accident. All necessary steps have been taken for security, so that there is no threat to the airport, residents and staff.

Dubai airport closed, flights suspended

After this incident, all flights at Dubai International Airport, which is said to be the world’s largest, have been temporarily suspended. Emirates Airlines also posted on X that incoming and outgoing flights are temporarily closed. Passengers have been advised to contact the airlines and not to come to the airport. Traffic has also been affected, airport road and tunnel remained closed, people have been asked to use alternative routes.

More than 1,800 missile and drone attacks on UAE

This attack is part of the Iran-Israel-America war. According to media reports, Iran has fired more than 1,800 missiles and drones at UAE since the start of the war. UAE has become the most targeted country. Iran is targeting American bases, airports, ports and oil facilities, because from here America-Israel had attacked Iran’s leadership.

In the last few days, there have been many drone incidents around Dubai, such as 4 people getting injured when a drone fell near the airport, a small fire caused by debris on a building or drone attacks near Burj Khalifa. Today’s attack took place on the fuel tank, which was a big threat. UAE’s air defense has intercepted most drones and missiles, but some are having impact.

Dubai Police and authorities are continuously giving updates. The situation is now stable, but due to the war, there are concerns about travel and security in the Gulf.

The war going on between America, Israel and Iran is now being seen in many other countries of the world. Due to this war, Dubai International Airport has been closed. In such a situation, many Indian people and celebs are also stranded there.

However, no impact of this war is visible on India right now. In such a situation, TV actress Rupali Ganguly has recently expressed her gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharati Army by sharing a post on social media. The actress wrote in her post that it is because of these people that Indian citizens are able to sleep peacefully in their homes.

no one like india

He told that living in India is a matter of good fortune and pride for him. Rupali wrote in her post, ‘There is no one like India and India cannot be compared with anyone.’ She wrote in her post that in such difficult times, she really feels fortunate to be in India.

My Bharat is great
In these unpredictable times, I truly feel blessed to live in India. Salute and heartfelt thanks to Our PM Narendra Modi ji, and deep gratitude to our Indian Army and defense forces who let us sleep peacefully every night.

Thu Thu Thu… Who knows the country… pic.twitter.com/DgiOnwab0Z

— Rupali Ganguly (@TheRupali) March 1, 2026

Rupali wrote in her post, ‘Salute and heartfelt thanks to our PM Narendra Modi ji, as well as deep gratitude to our Indian Army and Defense Forces, who give us the opportunity to sleep peacefully every night.’ Along with this, Rupali wished that India remains safe from negativity and any bad influence.

At the same time, the situation in the Gulf countries is continuously worsening, which is definitely going to affect global trade. Let us tell you that due to cancellation of flights to Dubai, many Indian celebs are stranded in and around Dubai. Bollywood actress Esha Gupta is currently in Abu Dhabi and is safe. Sonal Chauhan was also stranded in Dubai and had requested PM Modi for help. Apart from this, many Indian people are also stranded in Dubai due to travel disturbance.

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The effect of increasing tension in West Asia between T20 World Cup 2026 is now visible on the travel of cricket teams as well. The Zimbabwe team, which has been eliminated from the tournament, is currently forced to stay in India as their plans to return home have been put on hold due to the impact on the operations of Dubai Airport.

In its last match of the Super-8 stage, Zimbabwe had to face defeat against South Africa. With this defeat, the team’s journey in the T20 World Cup had ended and the players were preparing to return home. Many players of the team led by captain Sikandar Raza had to reach Zimbabwe via Dubai via different flights from Delhi.

Circumstances changed suddenly, travel plans postponed

But the situation changed suddenly. Following the increase in tension between Israel and Iran in West Asia, the schedules of many flights from Dubai Airport have been affected. Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons said that in view of the current situation, the team’s travel planning has been postponed for the time being. He said that this situation is definitely mentally challenging for the players, but on the field their entire focus was on the match.

The team’s all-rounder Graeme Creamer lives in Dubai, so the situation remains uncertain for him too. Most of the players of the Zimbabwe team had to travel further by taking a connecting flight from Dubai, which is no longer possible.

ICC is working on alternative arrangements

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has also taken this matter seriously. The board has indicated that alternative flights are being arranged to safely transport the players and support staff to their country. According to reports, the team can also be brought back via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Impact is visible on other teams too

On the other hand, Shukri Conrad, the head coach of the South African team which is going to play the semi-finals against New Zealand, also admitted that the current situation has become a topic of discussion among the players. However, he expressed confidence that the team management and ICC will find a solution to this problem soon. This war away from the cricket field is now affecting the players’ travel, and the Zimbabwe team’s return home is currently stuck in wait.

India retained its top position in terms of international passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) in 2025. According to official DXB data, 11.9 million passengers from India will travel through DXB in 2025, making India the airport’s largest market. In 2025, DXB handled a total of 95.2 million passengers, which is 3.1 percent more than in 2024. According to the airport management, 2025 was not a year of just one peak season, but continuous performance was recorded at record levels throughout the year.

December 2025 proved to be the busiest month in DXB’s history, with 8.7 million passengers. This is 6.1 percent more than last year. The fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 was also the busiest quarter ever, with 25.1 million passengers recorded. This shows an increase of 5.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Total flights and load factor in 2025

A total of 118,000 flight movements were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, which is an increase of 5 percent. The total number of flights for the entire year was 454,800, which is 3.3 percent higher year-on-year. There were 214 passengers on each flight, reflecting the use of larger aircraft and higher seat rates. The annual load factor was 77.6 percent, which is only 0.5 percentage points less than last year.

Country wise passenger figures 2025

After India, the biggest market was Saudi Arabia, from where 7.5 million travelers came. After this, 6.3 million passengers were recorded from UK, 4.3 million from Pakistan and 3.3 million from America. By the end of 2025, DXB would be connected to 291 destinations in 110 countries and served by 108 international airlines.

fast growing market

Some countries registered spectacular growth. Passenger numbers from China increased by 16.6 percent to 2.5 million. Egypt received 1.8 million passengers, an increase of 14.3 percent. Italy recorded 12.5 percent growth and passenger numbers stood at 1.6 million. 2.2 million passengers came from Turkey, while 2.8 million passengers were recorded from Russia.

top city destinations

By city, London topped the list with 3.9 million passengers. This was followed by Riyadh (3.0 million), Mumbai (2.4 million), Jeddah (2.4 million) and New Delhi (2.2 million).

DXB moves forward with record performance

DXB recorded the busiest day, month, quarter and year in its history in 2025. According to the airport management, this performance was achieved with high operational efficiency despite operating close to the limits of physical capacity. The figures for 2025 show that Dubai International Airport is further strengthening its position as a global aviation hub, in which India’s participation remains the most important.