Tens Of Thousands Stranded Amid Mass Airspace Closures At Mideast Hubs: "It's Chaos Here"
The US State Department is warning all American citizens to exercises extreme caution when traveling abroad amid the ongoing US-Israeli military operation against Iran, which has included two days of heavy bombing aimed at regime change - and which has already resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some 40 top military leaders.
"Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," a fresh weekend US notification says. "They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution."
Not only is Israel's airspace closed, as Iranian retaliatory ballistic missiles rain down, but much of the Gulf nations have restrictions and airspace closures in place. This after at least two regional airports have been struck.
"One person has been killed and 11 injured at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as Iran launched attacks across the Middle East in response to a massive and ongoing attack against it by the US and Israel," BBC reports.
Abu Dhabi authorities said a drone targeting Zayed International Airport (AUH) was intercepted, resulting in "falling debris" which killed one person and injuring seven.
Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest hubs in the world, has also been hit and suffered damage. So it's not just the skies over the region which are dangerous at this moment, but in some cases the very airport terminals, especially if located just across the Persian Gulf from Iran, amid its broader retaliation targeting US bases and those Arab states hosting them. The Iranians appear to be going straight after Gulf civic infrastructure, given the same is being done to Tehran.
"More than 3,400 flights were canceled Sunday across seven airports in the Mideast, according to flight tracker Flightradar24," AP notes. "Airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar’s capital, Doha, and Manama in Bahrain were among those closed."
Evacuation starts at Dubai International Airport after it was struck by Iranian suicide drones. pic.twitter.com/gPoWCAWjy6
— Lapo Pontecorvi (@LapoPontecorvi) March 1, 2026
Thousands are stranded at regional airports, and many are likely seeking refuge and shelter elsewhere in these cities, as major civic infrastructure from Bahrain to UAE to Kuwait could come under potential attack. "It's chaos here" - some stranded British travelers have said:
Thousands of Britons have been left stranded in the Middle East after global airlines grounded hundreds of flights due to US and Israeli strikes against Iran.
Iran and Iraq’s airspaces were closed due to the escalating military action, which has seen blasts reported in multiple countries across the region, and Dubai International Airport, the biggest global aviation hub, suspended all flights on Saturday.
Mike Boreham, who had been on holiday in Dubai with his wife, was due to get the 1.10pm British Airways flight back to Heathrow when the captain told the passengers the airspace had been closed.
And it goes the other way too. People from the Mideast and Mediterranean region who are trying to get back home often cannot at this point:
Tens of thousands of Israelis found themselves unable to return to Israel on Saturday after Israel and the US launched a major joint military strike on Iran.
As Iran responded by firing missiles and drones, Israel closed its airspace until at least Monday, the Transportation Ministry said, making travel through Ben Gurion Airport and other flight hubs impossible.
Rescue flights are being planned for when Israel reopens its airspace, with El Al announcing it was putting a wide plan in place and saying that its own ticket holders will automatically be assigned seats.
Dubai authorities are shutting down the entire airport after an Iranian missile struck Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, source in the airport told me. pic.twitter.com/zibMPKHgJi
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) February 28, 2026
Meanwhile President Trump has called for full regime change in Iran, after the Iranians have already appointed an interim successor to the slain Ayatollah Khamenei. This means that US-Israeli military operations there could continue for days more, and possible weeks, or even longer.
The Middle East's travel woes, and possibly by extension and domino effect - some European hubs - could soon grow much worse. Of course, this is the least of the region's problems as broader war breaks out.
