Dubai International Airport targeted in drone attack leaving four people injured – as major airline cancels all flights.
Picture:
X / FlightRadar
Dubai International Airport has come under drone attack with four people reportedly injured at the busy transport hub.
Loud bangs were reported close to the airport on Wednesday afternoon, with travellers forced to rush find shelter.
Two drones reportedly fell close to the airport after being intercepted by air defences, with operations affected as passengers attempted to find cover.
The drones were deployed in the direction of the busy city airport – a hub favoured among Brits and a stopover for those travelling beyond the UAE.
Four people wounded in the attack, according to the Dubai Media Office, with no major damage reported to the building.
Flights are said to be continuing as normal – despite Dutch airline KLM announcing on Wednesday that it was cancelling all flights to Dubai until March 28 due to the conflict.
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“Due to the ongoing geopolitical unrest in the Middle East, KLM has decided to cancel all flights to Dubai through March 28th,” KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France-KLM, said in a statement.
During Wednesday’s drone attack, flights in the area were forced to circle, with FlightRadar reporting that a 35-minute hold was placed on aircraft approaching Dubai International Airport.
Authorities confirmed that two Ghanaians and a Bangladeshi national received minor injuries in the attack, while an Indian citizen was moderately hurt.
Dark smoke was seen in the skies above the airport terminal after the attack, with footage emerging on social media showing the extent of the damage.
It comes as Dubai continued to insist the country was safe, with influencers continuing to echo the government narrative.
Some aircraft in the area were forced to circle, with FlightRadar reporting that a 35-minute hold was placed on aircraft approaching Dubai International Airport.
Picture:
FlightRadar24
It comes as a British national holidaying in Dubai has reportedly been arrested for filming Iranian missiles.
The 60-year-old man was taken into custody on Monday and is currently being detained at a police station in the Bur Dubai area.
Dubai International Airport is home to the long-haul airline Emirates and is classed as the world’s busiest hub for international travel.
The attack marks an escalating campaign by Iran against neighbouring Gulf nations – despite leaders previously apologising over attacks.
The escalating campaign comes as ex-pats in the region continue in their attempts to leave the UAE, after American and Israeli airstrikes continue across the Islamic Republic.
Authorities confirm that two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) a short while ago, resulting in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national. Air traffic is operating as normal.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 11, 2026
It comes as Iran’s joint military command announced it would begin targeting banks and financial institutions in the Middle East.
The attacks see Dubai once again placed in the firing line as a result, alongside other United Arab Emirates locations including Qatar and Bahrain.
The latest attacks on the Strait of Hormuz took place on Wednesday morning which caused one of the vessels to burst into flames and its crew to evacuate.
A second ship, a bulk carrier, was hit by a projectile 50 miles north-west of Dubai. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that its crew was safe.
A third freighter was also reportedly damaged near Dubai. It is not immediately clear who launched the projectiles but Iran previously claimed control of the shipping lane which is a crucial route for global oil shipments.