The Middle East has been thrown into wider conflict as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a “massive” sixth wave of missile and drone attacks targeting US and Israeli assets across the Persian Gulf. With major hubs such as Dubai and Doha under fire and President Donald Trump threatening “unprecedented force” in response, the escalation has grounded more than 90% of regional flights and closed the world’s busiest international airport.
According to Reuters, residents of Dubai heard several loud bangs early Sunday morning. Reports from AFP and Al Jazeera confirmed fresh explosions in the Gulf, including in Qatar’s Doha and Bahrain. At least 11 explosions were reported in the sky above the Qatari capital. Sirens blared in Kuwait and Israel as Iranian retaliatory attacks continued.
Key locations across the UAE targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes on Saturday include Jebel Ali Port, Burj Al Arab, Dubai’s famous Palm Jumeirah hotel and Dubai International Airport.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it was carrying out its “most intense” offensive against US and Israeli bases in the Middle East, Reuters reported, citing state media.
According to Iranian state media, the IRGC launched a sixth wave of retaliatory strikes today, including “large-scale missile and drone attacks” on 27 US bases and Israel’s Tel Nof air base, the army headquarters in HaKirya in Tel Aviv and the defense industrial complex in the capital, Al Jazeera reported.
Read also | ROI-Iran war plunges the oil market into the biggest crisis in decades: Bousso
Hours after US President Donald Trump confirmed that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in an airstrike, Israel said it had launched another wave of strikes against Iran on Sunday, Reuters reported.
On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran not to escalate its attacks in a post on Truth Social. “IRAN JUST SAID THAT TODAY THEY WILL STRIKE VERY HARD, HARDER THAN EVER BEFORE. HOWEVER THEY WON’T BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN!” he wrote
Read also | Israel attacks Iran LIVE: ‘Khamenei killed in his office’, Trump’s fresh warning
Airports closed, flights cancelled
Escalating tensions in the Middle East have disrupted dozens of flights and left thousands stranded after Dubai’s main airport, the world’s busiest air hub, announced its closure. Dubai airport authorities have suspended operations following Saturday’s airstrike.
More than 2,300 flights from Bahrain to Tel Aviv were canceled in the region on Saturday. More than 90% of departures from Dubai International Airport have been suspended, according to FlightAware. Air travel disruption continued on Monday morning as Emirates canceled 87% of its scheduled flights, FlyDubai canceled 89%, Etihad reported 67% cancellations, Gulf Air saw 79% cancellations and Qatar Airways canceled 36% of its flights.
Read also | Khamenei death news LIVE: Who will take over in Iran?
With Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi serving as a superconnector, the impact of the disruption to air travel in the Middle East was far-reaching. Indian airlines have canceled nearly 410 flights and 444 flights are expected to be canceled on Sunday, the civil aviation ministry said.
IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and SpiceJet have issued travel alerts informing passengers of flight disruptions due to prevailing airspace closures over the Middle East, affecting international flights.
