Drone strikes targeting a U.S. Consulate in Dubai marked a significant escalation in the widening conflict with Iran, as tens of thousands of travelers remained stranded across the Middle East and beyond for a fourth consecutive day. Airspace closures and heavy restrictions have effectively halted commercial air traffic throughout the region.
The U.S. State Department issued a directive urging American citizens to depart Iran, Israel, and more than a dozen other countries in the region “immediately” using any available commercial means. The list of countries included Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. However, options for departure remained severely limited.
As of Tuesday, nearly 55% of all scheduled arrivals and departures in the Middle East – approximately 18,000 flights – had been canceled since the conflict began on Saturday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Roughly 1,900 cancellations occurred on Tuesday alone.
“They say ‘Get out,’ but how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed?” said Odies Turner, a chef from Dallas, stranded in Doha, Qatar. “They just have been canceling every flight. I seek to go home.”
The U.S. State Department stated it was “actively securing” military and charter aircraft to facilitate the departure of American citizens. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the challenges, stating, “We know that we’re going to be able to support them,” but cautioned that “it’s going to take a little time because we don’t control the airspace closures.” He urged stranded Americans to contact the State Department to register their location and needs. Earlier, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee indicated the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was unable to directly assist Americans in leaving Israel, but provided information regarding an Israeli government shuttle bus to Egypt as a potential option.
Israel’s flag carrier, El Al, announced a “large-scale recovery operation” in preparation for the gradual reopening of Ben-Gurion Airport to limited incoming flights starting Thursday. Israel’s airspace has been closed since Saturday, though some land crossings remain open. Transportation Minister Miri Regev stated that thousands had already returned via land routes. The initial plan allows for one passenger flight per hour in the first 24 hours, accommodating approximately 5,000 people, with potential for expansion based on security assessments. It remains unclear whether these flights will be limited to Israeli citizens, and no commercial departures from Israel have been authorized.
Australia is coordinating a commercial flight from Dubai to Sydney scheduled for Wednesday to begin repatriating approximately 24,000 Australian citizens stranded in the UAE, according to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who described the situation as a “consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people.”
Across the region, travelers found themselves waiting in airport terminals and hotels, or sheltering indoors due to ongoing airstrikes. Cruise passengers faced disruptions as ships were unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Matt Carwell, an American in Dubai, reported hearing an explosion while speaking with the Associated Press. “Wow,” he said. “There was just a boom.” A fighter jet was then heard flying overhead. Carwell, who volunteers at a school in New Hampshire, continues to await a flight that hasn’t been canceled.
As of Tuesday, airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Syria remained closed, according to Flightradar24. The UAE declared partial airspace closure, and Jordan suspended all flights from the mid-afternoon until 6 a.m. Local time.
The geographical concentration of air travel routes through the Gulf region has amplified the disruption. Gulf airports serve as crucial hubs connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia, with major carriers channeling long-haul passengers through cities like Dubai and Doha. Aviation and tourism consultant Anita Mendiratta, stranded in Bangkok, noted that the Middle East’s airspace covers two-thirds of the world’s population within an eight-hour flight, and its closure forces significant detours, “putting huge pressure on the airlines.”
Despite the challenges, some travelers were able to secure flights. Oman Airways advertised flights from Muscat International Airport for passengers able to reach the city from the UAE. Virgin Atlantic announced plans to resume limited service between London Heathrow and Dubai and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Oman’s airspace remained open, while Saudi Arabia maintained most of its airspace operational despite partial closures near its border with Iraq and along the Persian Gulf, positioning Muscat and Riyadh as key transit points for repatriation efforts.
Some individuals with substantial financial resources are reportedly paying exorbitant sums for luxury flights to Europe via safe airports, first traveling overland to Muscat or Riyadh. Mariana Muicaru, a Romanian pilgrim stranded in Israel, recounted, “We called our children at 3 a.m. To request forgiveness because we might die and to tell them we love them,” before eventually reaching Bucharest on Tuesday. British tourists evacuated from the UAE expressed relief upon landing safely at Heathrow Airport, with one traveler, Adam Barton, describing receiving alerts about potential missile strikes while at the airport prior to departure.
