Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported that a drone aimed at Zayed International Airport was intercepted by air defence systems.
At least one person has been confirmed dead and 11 others injured after Iranian retaliatory attacks struck Dubai and Abu Dhabi Airports in the United Arab Emirates, as tensions following coordinated United States and Israeli military operations against Iran sharply escalated.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported that a drone aimed at Zayed International Airport was intercepted by air defence systems.
However, debris from the interception fell within airport premises, killing one individual and injuring seven others, according to the BBC.
Emergency services were immediately deployed to secure the area and assess damage.
In neighbouring Dubai, officials confirmed that an incident at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, left four airport staff members injured.
While details remain limited, authorities said airport infrastructure sustained damage, prompting operational disruptions and heightened security measures.
The attacks triggered widespread chaos in regional air travel, with thousands of flights cancelled or delayed across Gulf countries.
Aviation authorities described the disruption as one of the most severe since the global shutdown experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting major international travel routes linking Europe, Asia and Africa.
Explosions were reported in multiple cities on Sunday, including Doha, Dubai and Manama, as Iran continued launching missiles and drones across the region.
The strikes came in response to an ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iranian targets, which Tehran says resulted in the death of its supreme leader during air raids that began Saturday.
Iran reportedly deployed ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles targeting military and strategic assets linked to US allies throughout the Gulf.
Governments in Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, all of which host American military installations, announced that their air defence systems intercepted incoming projectiles, though falling debris caused structural damage in several locations.
In Dubai, authorities also confirmed a fire outbreak at a berth within Jebel Ali Port after debris from an aerial interception landed in the area.
The port, ranked among the busiest shipping hubs globally, temporarily suspended some operations while emergency crews contained the blaze.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry stated that the country’s airport sustained damage after being targeted by a drone, though officials did not immediately release casualty figures.
Reports of additional attacks circulating on Sunday morning remained unverified at the time of publication.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for strikes targeting the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain’s capital.
Witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke rising near the military facility following the alleged attack.
Elsewhere in the region, Oman’s state news agency said two drones struck the commercial port of Duqm, injuring one worker and causing limited damage to infrastructure.
The rapidly unfolding confrontation has heightened fears of a broader regional war, with governments across the Middle East reinforcing security around airports, ports and military installations while urging residents to remain vigilant as retaliatory exchanges continue.
