Dubai International Airport resumes 'limited' flights after drone attack

NoodlesOrTokens · 2026-03-16T09:21:02+00:00

Dubai International Airport resumed limited flights after a drone attack caused a fire at a nearby fuel depot. Although some flights were canceled, no injuries were reported. This incident marks the fourth drone-related disruption at the busy airport.

NoodlesOrTokens

2026-03-16 09:21:02

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TOPSHOT - A smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire at Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 16, 2026. Flights were gradually resuming at Dubai airport on March 16, previously the world’s busiest for international flights, the airport operator said, after a “drone-related incident” sparked a fuel tank fire nearby, as Iran kept up its Gulf attacks. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /

| Afp | Getty Images

Dubai’s International Airport resumed a “limited” flight schedule on Monday morning after a drone attack hit a fuel depot at the airport, which caused a fire.

Emirates “expects to operate a limited schedule after 10:00hrs Dubai local time today. Unfortunately, some flights from today’s schedule have been cancelled,” the airline said in a statement posted on X.

The impact on flights came after what the Dubai Media office called a “drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport,” which they said “affected one of the fuel tanks.” Dubai’s media office also said on X that no injuries had been reported.

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The strike is the fourth drone-related incident to occur at Dubai Airport. Each incident stalled flights temporarily, with several injuries reported.

Dubai Airport handles over 90 million passengers per year and is ranked the busiest airport globally for international traffic.

CNBC has reached out to Dubai Airports for comment.

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