Dubai Airport: Flights disrupted as UAE intercepts Iran missiles and drones over Strait of Hormuz airspace
Flights to Dubai and Sharjah are being stopped, diverted or turned back as Iran’s missiles and drone strikes disrupt airspace in the United Arab Emirates, sending new shockwaves through global aviation.
Aviation tracker Flightradar24 reported that several flights bound for the UAE were delayed or rerouted as recent tensions between the US and Iran affected flight paths in the region.
Major hubs, including Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, have placed incoming flights into holding patterns; many long-distance services were diverted to neighboring countries or forced to return to their origins.
The outage follows a wave of explosions heard across the UAE on Monday as national air defense systems responded to incoming threats. Residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi reported thunderous explosions and streaks of light in the sky during the interventions in the air.
The UAE Ministry of Defense said its air defense systems targeted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four UAVs launched from Iran on May 4, resulting in three moderate injuries. The Ministry announced that a total of 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,260 UAVs have been seized since the beginning of the attacks, which it described as “Iran’s blatant attacks”.
The ministry said it confirmed that 227 people of different nationalities were injured in the attacks and that 10 civilians died, as well as three “martyrs”, one of whom was a civilian contractor. He added that he was fully prepared to respond to further threats and would “firmly oppose anything aimed at undermining the country’s security.”
Although most threats have been neutralized, a drone strike sparked a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah and civil defense teams were deployed to contain the blaze. Authorities briefly issued a shelter-in-place advisory before declaring the all clear after the primary attack waves subsided.
The impact has continued to ripple through the region’s transport network, placing significant pressure on Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international travel and currently managing a growing backlog of delayed aircraft.
Airlines are scrambling to adjust their routes in real time; Some flights are returning to a holding pattern while others are diverting to alternative airports across the Gulf.
The increase has also sparked urgent warnings for travellers; Smarttraveller has issued a level four travel risk advice, reflecting the rapidly deteriorating security environment as tensions continue to escalate.
