Iranian Drone Misses Dubai Airport Control Tower by Meters | WATCH
A terrifying drone attack at Dubai Airport sends travelers diving for cover as smoke billows near the runways. Despite a public apology from Iran's president, the skies over the UAE remain a battlefield.
A suspected Iranian drone struck near Dubai International Airport (DXB) early Saturday morning, leading to a temporary suspension of operations, passenger evacuations, and widespread disruption amid the escalating U.S.-Israel-Iran war.
The incident, which occurred around 12:30 a.m. local time, reportedly injured four airport staff and prompted passengers to shelter in tunnels as smoke billowed from the site.
Video footage circulating on social media captured the moment of impact, showing a drone plunging toward the runway and triggering a large explosion with a plume of smoke rising near the terminals.
Eyewitness accounts described the strike as occurring "within the perimeter" of the airport, shaking the terminal building and causing panic among travelers.
Reports indicate the drone targeted the airport's control tower, missing by "just a few meters," according to multiple sources.
The impact site was described as landing "just a few hundred meters" from parked aircraft near a concourse.
Dubai authorities characterized the event as a "minor incident caused by debris from an interception," with the UAE's air defenses intercepting one unidentified object near the airport.
"For the safety of passengers, airport staff, and airline crew, operations at Dubai International (DXB) have been temporarily suspended," stated the Dubai Media Office in a social media post.
The airport, the world's busiest for international traffic, resumed partial operations later in the day.
Flydubai, a UAE-based low-cost carrier, suspended its flights to Israel following the strike, as part of broader disruptions.
Emirates and other airlines also halted operations temporarily.
Emirates has since begun resuming flights after Iran signaled it would not attack neighbors unless provoked.
The strike occurred amid Iran's retaliatory attacks on Gulf states hosting U.S. bases, including the UAE, shortly after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to neighboring countries for recent strikes and promised to halt attacks unless they originate from those territories.
Iranian state media has not confirmed specifically targeting the control tower.
The UAE has intercepted over 1,000 drones so far in the conflict, with air defenses handling 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones on Saturday alone.