Dubai International Airport (DXB) experienced a significant disruption on Monday, March 16, 2026, after an Iranian drone strike hit a fuel tank in the vicinity of the airport. While the airport was temporarily shut down, operations have since begun a gradual resumption as of March 17, 2026.

 

Dubai Airport SHUT DOWN By Iran Drone Strike

Dubai International Airport (DXB) experienced a significant disruption on Monday, March 16, 2026, after an Iranian drone strike hit a fuel tank in the vicinity of the airport. While the airport was temporarily shut down, operations have since begun a gradual resumption as of March 17, 2026.

 

Current Status & Operational Impact

Flight Operations: DXB is currently operating on a limited schedule.

Foreign Carriers: Reports indicate that some foreign airlines remain barred from landing at DXB until further notice.

Airspace: UAE airspace was briefly closed following the strike but has since reopened.

Cancellations & Diversions: Over 60 flights were diverted to 34 different airports across the region and beyond, including Al Maktoum International (DWC) and Abu Dhabi (AUH). Major carriers like Emirates have cancelled numerous flights, including all services to London Heathrow on Monday.

 

Incident Details

The Strike: A drone (identified by some sources as an Iranian Shahed drone) struck a fuel tank at approximately 4:30 AM local time on March 16, causing a massive fire and a thick plume of black smoke.

Casualties: The Dubai Media Office confirmed that no injuries were reported from the airport strike specifically. However, a separate missile incident in Abu Dhabi on the same day resulted in one fatality.

Containment: Civil Defense teams successfully extinguished the fire, and cooling operations were completed within 15 hours of the initial strike.

 

Traveler Advice

Check Flight Status: Passengers are strongly urged to verify their flight status directly with their airline before heading to the airport. Emirates has advised passengers not to travel to DXB unless their flight is confirmed.

Official Warnings: The UK Foreign Office and Australia's Smartraveller have updated their advice to "Do Not Travel" or "Advise against all but essential travel" to the UAE due to the volatile security situation.