Iranian drone attack sparks blaze at Dubai International Airport

Just as Dubai International Airport sought to show that operations were returning to normal, an Iranian drone attack early today sparked a fuel tank fire that sent plumes of smoke billowing against the city skyline and forced renewed flight suspensions.

As the blaze flared for hours before being brought under control, authorities diverted aircraft to other airports in the UAE while road access around the airport was restricted. Emirates,  flydubai and other carriers reported that services were disrupted

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states have faced more than ​2,000 missile and ⁠drone attacks since Feb. 28, with targets including key oil infrastructure, as well as office towers, hotels and residential neighborhoods.

Flights in the region are at about half their usual level, though their number has risen since the start of the war.

Drone and missile fire have regularly kept aircraft circling Dubai’s main airport – one of the world’s busiest – damaging Middle East tourism worth about $367 billion a year. Air freight ​rates have surged as much as 70% on some routes.

Meanwhile, economists say Qatar and Kuwait could see GDP contract by about 14% if the Strait of Hormuz remains shut for two months, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE would likely suffer declines of 3-5% Bloomberg reports. 

Gulf oil producers have lost an estimated $15 billion in energy revenues since Iran’s retaliation against U.S. and Israeli air strikes by disrupting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, The Financial Times reports.