An explosion was heard near the Dubai International Airport on Saturday, with a plume of smoke seen rising into the sky, a witness told AFP, amid escalating attacks by Iran across the Gulf region.
Data from flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 showed several aircraft circling in the airspace above the airport, suggesting they were placed in holding patterns following the incident.
Despite the security concerns, limited flight operations had resumed earlier in the week at Dubai’s main airport — regarded as the world’s busiest hub for international travel — even as drone strikes continued to target locations in the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement posted on X, the Dubai Media Office described the situation as “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception.” The office also dismissed some circulating reports regarding the airport.
Authorities had earlier confirmed that four airport staff members were injured and a section of a concourse damaged during a similar incident last Saturday, which occurred shortly after hostilities escalated following joint strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
In a previous statement, Dubai Airports said the situation at the facility was swiftly brought under control, though it provided limited details about the incident.
Iranian strikes have also reportedly targeted other locations in the UAE, including the Abu Dhabi International Airport, the luxury Palm Jumeirah development, and the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.
Meanwhile, debris from a drone attack reportedly sparked a fire at the United States Consulate General Dubai earlier in the week, further heightening security concerns in the emirate.