The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday declared the complete restoration of normal air traffic operations across the country’s airspace, formally ending weeks of stringent flight restrictions that were imposed after Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Gulf states at the outset of the US‑Israeli war on 28 February. According to a statement circulated via the state‑run Emirates News Agency (WAM), the decision to lift the “temporary precautionary measures” was taken after a comprehensive evaluation of operational and security conditions, carried out in coordination with all relevant authorities. While the announcement marks a significant milestone for a regional aviation hub that was among the hardest hit by Iranian retaliation, it also underscores a deeper reality. The measures were put in place because Iran successfully struck the UAE and other Gulf nations, not because of any military weakness. Tehran demonstrated its ability to reach deep into the Gulf, a fact that Washington and its allies have been forced to accommodate.
The GCAA said that continuous real‑time monitoring will remain in place to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety, and that technical and operational teams are ready to respond to any emerging developments. The move effectively ends a period during which night flights were banned, foreign carriers were capped, and crews were prohibited from staying overnight if destination safety could not be confirmed. However, industry reports indicate that Emirates has only rebuilt operations to about 80 per cent of its pre‑war capacity, while Etihad is at roughly 75 per cent, figures that reflect the long‑lasting disruption caused by the conflict. The aviation turmoil was triggered by Iran’s missile and drone attacks, which began on 28 February in direct response to the joint US‑Israeli strikes that opened the war. The targeted retaliation included direct hits on infrastructure near Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport. The UAE’s airspace restrictions, including partial closures and rerouting of flight corridors, were a direct consequence of those attacks.
The green light for normal flights comes as a conditional ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has held since 8 April, a truce that Iran accepted after extracting significant concessions, including the cessation of hostilities and a de‑facto recognition of its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz. No further missile or drone attacks have been reported since the truce began. Yet the GCAA is careful to note that contingency planning continues. The timing of the full reopening is not accidental: it signals that Abu Dhabi has concluded that the immediate Iranian threat has stabilised at a manageable level, not disappeared entirely. From a regional perspective, the decision aligns with a broader pattern of cautious recovery in Gulf airspace. Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and most recently the UAE have all rolled back war‑time flight curbs. But residual limits remain: Iranian airspace is still effectively closed to many international carriers; and flights to Lebanon, Iraq and Iran’s neighbours remain suspended or heavily restricted.