Dubai : A massive fire broke out near Dubai International Airport early on Monday after a drone strike hit a fuel tank in the vicinity of the facility, leading to suspension of flight operations as a precautionary measure amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war in the Middle East. Dubai authorities said civil defence teams were immediately deployed to contain the blaze, and no injuries had been reported so far in the incident at one of the busiest international airports in the world, located close to the city centre in Dubai.
A drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) affected one of the fuel tanks. Dubai Civil Defence teams are currently working to bring the fire under control. No injuries have been reported so far, the Dubai Media Office said. As the Dubai airport operations were affected, Air India announced that “Air India and Air India Express flights to and from Dubai have been cancelled for the day”, adding that its ad-hoc flight operations to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah will continue as announced.
UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones, the UAE Ministry of Defence said. The strike comes a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the first time Tehran has threatened a neighbouring country’s non-US assets. Iran accused the US of using ports, docks and hideouts in the UAE to launch recent strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports.
Gulf Arab nations have since faced more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks targeting a wide range of locations, including US diplomatic missions, military bases, and critical infrastructure such as oil facilities, ports, airports, hotels, and residential and commercial buildings. Dubai Airport has been targeted by drones multiple times, with the most recent attack reported on March 7. Visuals showed a massive plume of smoke engulfing the area, while passengers waiting for flights inside the airport rushed into train tunnels at the airfield after an alert was sounded.
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