The United Arab Emirates temporarily closed its airspace on Monday after Iran intensified missile and drone strikes across neighbouring Gulf countries in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks.
The closure was later lifted after “the situation stabilised,” the state-run WAM news agency reported, quoting the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority.
The authority said the move was “an exceptional precautionary measure” aimed at ensuring the safety of flights and air crews, as well as safeguarding the country’s territory.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems were actively responding to incoming missiles and drones launched from Iran. Explosions were reportedly heard in Dubai as the military worked to intercept the projectiles.
Also read
- Did Iran ask India to return 3 tankers seized by ICG in February amid Hormuz Strait talks? Report offers details
- Benjamin Netanyahu posts second video as death claims mount, netizens call cafe video AI-generated
- 'This brings peace pretty fast': Ambassador Reuven Azar says Iran should follow Egypt's footsteps, start engaging with Israel
Meanwhile, a drone attack sparked a fire at an oil tank farm in Fujairah, an emirate on the UAE’s east coast along the Gulf of Oman that has been repeatedly targeted in recent attacks. No injuries were reported.
On Monday, an Iranian drone strike also set a fuel tank ablaze at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international travel. Flight operations were briefly suspended after the strike triggered a major fire on the premises.
Iran has been targeting neighbouring Gulf countries that host US military bases since the conflict began on February 28, following joint strikes by US and Israeli forces on Iran. Reports indicate that the UAE, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020, has been among the countries most affected by these attacks.
On Sunday, Iran accused the UAE of allowing its territory to be used by US forces to launch an attack on Kharg Island, home to one of Iran’s main oil export terminals. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed that Kharg and Abu Musa islands were struck using HIMARS rockets launched from locations in the UAE, including Ras Al Khaimah and areas near Dubai.
