The escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel is increasingly reshaping daily life across the Middle East, with thousands of travellers and expatriates in the Gulf facing unprecedented travel disruptions. As airspace closures and flight cancellations ripple across the region, many UAE residents are now relying on land corridors and emergency “departure assistance” services to leave the country or reach international flights elsewhere.
The crisis began after coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February 2026, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region. Since then, several Gulf countries have temporarily closed or restricted their airspace due to security concerns, causing widespread disruption to global aviation and leaving travellers stranded.
