Smoke rises over US and Israeli attack on Iran
Smoke is seen rising over the Iranian capital Tehran following attacks by the US and Israel.
The joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, which began on Saturday, February 28, has resulted in the suspension of flight operations in large parts of the Middle East.
Dubai International Airport, the world’s largest international airport, and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport were closed at around 7 a.m. (Eastern time) on Saturday, according to a statement from Dubai Airports in the United Arab Emirates. All flight operations at the airport have been suspended until further notice, the department said.
“Passengers are advised not to go to the airport at this time and to contact each airline directly for the latest information regarding their flights,” it said in a statement.
Delta Air Lines has issued an alert informing travelers of canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai. United Airlines also warned travelers that flights to Tel Aviv may be cancelled. American Airlines warned passengers that flights through Qatar’s Doha International Airport may be affected.
The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes around 2 a.m. ET, prompting the cancellation of civilian travel. Iran retaliated with attacks targeting U.S. military bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi flights canceled
As a result of the attack, flight maps showed virtually clear skies over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain, Reuters reported on Saturday. Israel, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan have closed their airspace in the wake of the attacks, and Flightradar 24’s regional map shows planes avoiding these areas.
Airlines canceled about 40% of flights to Israel and 6.7% of regional flights on Saturday, according to preliminary data from Cirium, Reuters reported.
Etihad Airways, which flies to 110 destinations from Hab Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, said in a post on X: “All flights have been canceled by 2pm local time on March 1st.”
“Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended flights to and from Dubai,” Dubai Airports said in a statement. Dubai International handled nearly 100 million passengers last year.
Travel advisory issued for entire Middle East
U.S. citizens across the Middle East have been advised to shelter in place until further notice, and U.S. embassies and consulates have issued warnings to countries in the region, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem stopped short of issuing a general shelter-in-place advisory, but urged embassy staff and their families to do so, and advised U.S. citizens to increase their vigilance in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. According to Reuters, the US State Department has set up a task force to assist US citizens and assist diplomatic efforts.
Israel’s National Security Council “calls on Israeli citizens abroad to take increased precautions in all their destinations around the world.”
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
