(TJV NEWS) Passengers at Dubai’s main international airport were rushed into underground shelters and flights temporarily halted after explosions were heard in the city amid drone and missile threats tied to the expanding Iran war.

According to The Independent, the disruption occurred Saturday morning when what appeared to be a drone strike landed near the airport, prompting authorities to briefly suspend departures and arrivals at the busy global hub.

Travelers inside the airport reported confusion and fear as airport staff moved passengers into tunnels and safe areas while the situation unfolded. Several blasts were heard across Dubai as the United Arab Emirates activated its air-defense systems to intercept incoming projectiles. The strikes were part of a broader wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf countries following joint U.S.–Israeli bombing raids on Iranian sites, The Independent reported.

Dubai International Airport—one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs—was forced to pause operations while authorities assessed the situation. Aircraft in the air were reportedly delayed or diverted during the disruption before flights gradually resumed later in the day.

Officials later indicated that the incident may have involved debris falling after air defenses intercepted an incoming threat. Government statements said the situation was quickly brought under control and that airport operations eventually restarted, though delays and travel disruptions continued for many passengers.

The scare highlights how the widening regional conflict is increasingly affecting civilian infrastructure and international travel. Airline crews and aviation authorities across the Middle East are facing heightened risks as missiles and drones move through the same airspace used by commercial flights. Pilots have reported growing stress and the need for constant rerouting or additional fuel to account for sudden airspace closures, according to reporting on aviation safety concerns during the conflict.

Recent attacks have also caused damage elsewhere in Dubai, including infrastructure near the airport and other sites in the city, as Iran’s retaliation campaign expands beyond military targets. Earlier strikes in the region caused injuries and disruptions to flights throughout the Gulf.

The United Arab Emirates has said its air-defense systems intercepted numerous missiles and drones during the latest wave of attacks, underscoring how the conflict between Iran and its adversaries is increasingly spilling across neighboring states.

For travelers, the events in Dubai are a reminder that the war’s ripple effects are now reaching some of the world’s busiest transit hubs, threatening global air travel as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.