Iran-Israel war Day 7: UAE intercepts missiles, Dubai airports reopen partially as Middle East flights remain disrupted

Here are top 5 developments from UAE:

1. The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 109 drones on Friday. Authorities detected nine missiles on March 6 and destroyed all of them. Of the 112 drones identified, 109 were intercepted while three fell within UAE territory. Since the beginning of the Iranian attacks, the UAE has detected 205 ballistic missiles, destroying 190. Thirteen fell into the sea and two landed inside the country, according to Reuters reports. Air defences also detected 1,184 Iranian drones, intercepting 1,110, while 74 fell within UAE territory. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.
2. According to the officials in those countries, at least 1230 casualties were confirmed in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel.
3. Schools and institutions across the UAE have been directed to begin early spring breaks with some examinations cancelled as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Etihad Water and Electricity said essential utility services across the country remain uninterrupted.
4. Dubai Airports said more than 1140 flights have been facilitated over the past 84 hours at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The airports have partially reopened for limited operations to assist stranded travellers amid the ongoing crisis. Between March 2 and 5 alone, over 500 flights departed from DXB and DWC, providing around 1,05,000 outbound seats to more than 80 countries. Authorities urged passengers to regularly check flight status with their airlines.
5. The UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Tourism said hotels, resorts, cultural attractions and shopping centres remain open and continue to welcome visitors while complying with safety and regulatory standards.

Aviation updates:

Air travel across the Middle East remains heavily disrupted as several airlines suspend or modify operations due to airspace closure.

Germany’s Lufthansa said it was reallocating aircraft capacity from 10 cancelled Middle East routes to other destinations such as Singapore and Bangkok. CEO Carsten Spohr said the conflict once again stressed the vulnerability of global air travel to geopolitical tensions.

Several airlines have started limited operations as airports partially reopen. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has resumed a restricted flight schedule from March 6 to March 19, operating services between Abu Dhabi and several global destinations, including Cairo, Delhi, London, Frankfurt, New York, Paris, Moscow, Toronto and Zurich. The airline is also running flights to Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Indian carriers are also managing disruptions. SpiceJet is operating special flights from the UAE to bring back stranded passengers, including services to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Pune. Over the past three days, the airline has already operated 25 such flights.

Meanwhile, IndiGo cancelled 144 scheduled flights for March 7 due to Middle East airspace restrictions but extended free cancellation waivers until March 31.

Dubai-based flydubai is expected to resume flights to Israel next week to support evacuation efforts, according to Reuters.

Missiles and military updates

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three ballistic missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base. Bahrain said its air defences have intercepted 78 missiles and 143 drones since the conflict began.

US President Donald Trump appeared to rule out negotiations with Iran, stating that any potential agreement would require “unconditional surrender” from Tehran. In a separate statement, he also expressed support for Iranian Kurdish forces in Iraq launching attacks against Iran.