A fuel tank near Dubai International Airport was attacked by a drone. After this attack on March 16, 2026, the civil defense teams immediately brought the fire under control and it is a matter of relief that there is no news of anyone being injured. Due to the attack, flight operations at the airport were temporarily halted as a precautionary measure. This was the third drone attack on Dubai Airport since 28 February 2026.
Impact on passengers and flights
Due to this incident, 65 flights coming to Dubai were diverted to 34 different airports in Europe, Asia and Africa. Some flights also landed at nearby Al-Maktoum International Airport. Emirates airline restarted some of its flights after 10 am and gave a statement that the safety of passengers is of utmost importance to them. On the other hand, British Airways and KLM have canceled all their flights till 28 March. Dubai Media Office has asked all passengers to check flight updates from their airlines before going to the airport.
Government’s stance on continuous attacks
The UAE Defense Ministry said that they are destroying incoming missiles and drones in the air. Since 28 February 2026, 1606 drones and 298 ballistic missiles have been fired on UAE. Meanwhile, Gulf countries have rejected Iran’s claim that they are not targeting places associated with common people. Before this latest attack, Iran had also warned to evacuate three major ports of UAE.