Dubai DXB. Photo: Sebastian Castelier / Shutterstock The regional war continues to have a severe impact on aviation in the Gulf countries. Tonight (March 16, 2026) at around 03:30, Dubai Airport announced that all flights had been halted, activity had been suspended, and the airport was effectively closed to takeoffs and landings.
At around 06:00 (GMT), Dubai's Ministry of Communications announced that the airport was reopening gradually and to certain destinations only.
Dubai Airport (DXB) issued a notice stating that one should not arrive at the airport without a flight ticket in hand and verification that the flight is indeed taking place and has not been canceled.
Tonight, the Ministry of Transportation announced that a drone, apparently launched from Iran, hit a fuel tank near the airport, which is the reason for the halt in operations. Dubai's official media office updated that several flights were grounded at Al Maktoum International Airport - DWC.
Dubai's largest airline, Emirates, announced that as of 10:00 AM (Dubai time), some flights had resumed operations, while some were canceled, and customers were notified.
For passengers scheduled to fly to or from Dubai, it says, "Please contact the airlines for the latest flight updates. Further updates will be shared as they become available."