Dubai airport hit by another wave of Iranian strikes as British expats told to find cover

Explosions could be heard reverberating through the city, which serves as a crucial transport link between Asia and Europe and is home to a quarter of a million Britons.

The city-state remains under heightened alert as Iranian forces press ahead with their retaliatory offensive against targets throughout the region.

Dubai, home to roughly 90 per cent foreign residents, has cultivated an image of luxury and glamour that has attracted significant numbers of British expatriates seeking sunshine and tax advantages.

Around 240,000 UK nationals now live, work and study in the Gulf city, making them one of the largest Western resident groups alongside the thousands who travel on holiday there.

More than 5,000 British companies also operate across the Emirates.

One British expat in Dubai told GB News he heard loud booms throughout the weekend and could see missiles and drones being intercepted in the pristine blue skies.

The Foreign Office has told Britons in the United Arab Emirates to "immediately shelter in place".

"Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities," the Government advisory stressed.

British Airways has cancelled flights from the UK to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until at least early March, citing regional airspace closures and security concerns. The carrier said affected passengers would be offered refunds or rebookings.

Airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester reported cancellations and delays on UAE-bound departures as airlines rerouted aircraft to avoid closed corridors over the Gulf.

Emirates temporarily suspended several services to and from Dubai, while Etihad Airways paused departures from Abu Dhabi amid the escalating crisis.

Travellers have been urged to check flight status before heading to the airport, with further disruption expected if tensions in the region persist.

On Saturday, waves of Iranian missiles and drones targeted some of Dubai's most recognisable landmarks and vital infrastructure.

The Palm Jumeirah artificial island was rocked by explosions, with witnesses reporting blasts near a five-star hotel and smoke billowing from the area. Four people sustained injuries in a fire at a building on the development.

Drone wreckage sparked a blaze at the base of the iconic Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped structure often described as the world's first seven-star hotel, though authorities reported no casualties there.

Dubai airport sustained minor damage to a concourse, leaving four staff members wounded. Meanwhile, in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, one person died, and seven were injured at Zayed International Airport.

Jebel Ali sea port, a facility capable of accommodating US warships and aircraft carriers, also caught fire from falling debris.

Dubai's airport and seaport together account for approximately 60 per cent of the emirate's total revenues, according to official figures.

The United Arab Emirates reported that Iranian forces fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at its territory, with the majority intercepted by defence systems before reaching their targets.

Tehran has pledged to unleash what it describes as the "most intense offensive operation in history" in response to the killing of its supreme leader.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that revenge was the Islamic Republic's “legitimate right and duty” amid the ongoing joint US-Israeli strikes on the nation.

Last night, the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was confirmed by both Iranian media and US President Donald Trump. An Iranian statement described the Ayatollah’s “martyrdom” as the beginning of an “uprising against the oppressors”.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter