Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways have grounded all flights to and from their hubs since Saturday, when Iranian drones and missiles.

The three biggest Gulf airlines have this morning set out their plans for restoring services. Emirates says it will operate no flights to and from Dubai, up until 3pm UAE time on Monday, 2 March.

Passengers who have been caught up in the disruption are invited to rebook on an alternative flight up to 20 days from the original date of travel.

At Abu Dhabi, the home airline, Etihad, said: “All flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 2am UAE time on Monday 2 March.”

That corresponds to 11pm GMT on Sunday evening.

The airline adds: “Passengers holding Etihad tickets issued on or before 28 February 2026, with original travel dates up to 3 March 2026, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to 15 March 2026.”

“Qatar Airways flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace,” the giant airline said early on Sunday.

“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.“A

Tehran has retaliated by firing drones and ballistic missiles, apparently in all directions, as the Middle East is plunged into an unprecedented period of turmoil.

And in the eye of that storm are the people of Iran. Tens of thousands of them have bravely taken to the streets, calling for their rights and regime change since December. They faced a bloody slaughter, mass arrests and weeks of promises from the Trump administration that “help is on its way”.

Read the full analysis from our chief international correspondent Bel Trew here:

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday that the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene was "a defining moment in Iran’s history".

"What comes next is uncertain. But there is now an open path to a different Iran, one that its people may have greater freedom to shape," Kallas said on social media platform X.

"I’m in contact with partners, including those in the region that bear the brunt of Iran’s military actions, to find practical steps for de-escalation."

A person has been killed and seven others have been injured after a drone was intercepted at Abu Dhabi’s airport.

The interception led to falling debris at Zayed International Airport, with emergency response teams currently handling the situation.

An “all-out war” seems unlikely after the US-Israeli strikes in Iran, but “destabilisation” in the region is likely, the head of a foreign affairs think tank has said.

Asked on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme for her “best-case scenario” after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Chatham House chief executive Bronwen Maddox said: “Best case is that the protesters begin to come out again on the streets.

“They find that they are not shot down, they begin to produce leaders or a leader, and realise that they can actually change the whole regime.”

Asked for a worst-case scenario, she said: “That the Revolutionary Guard are still… show themselves to be very much in control of the country, that they continue to hit other countries… which not only destabilises the region, but it encourages our country to pull away from the US and pull away from any talks about stabilising Gaza and the West Bank.”

She added: “I don’t think it’s realistic to see an all-out war, because so many countries don’t want it but a destabilisation and the Gulf and Saudi Arabia pulling away from the US – I think that is likely.”

The Israeli military has claimed it has killed 40 senior commanders within one minute of launching air strikes on Iran.

This includes the Iranian supreme leader, as well as seven senior leaders which includes Abdolrahim Mousavi, who served as chief of staff of the armed forces.

“During the operation, we destroyed approximately half of the Iranian regime’s missile stockpiles and prevented the production of at least 1,500 additional missiles,” a military spokesman said.

“The regime had recently been producing dozens of surface-to-surface missiles per month and intended to increase production to hundreds per month.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family was "cynical" murder that violated all the norms of human morality and international law.

"Please accept my deep condolences in connection with the murder of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Ali Khamenei, and members of his family, committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law," Putin said in a note to Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has condemned the attacks in Iran, branding them “illegal and unprovoked”.

He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “We’ve seen what I would say is an illegal and unprovoked attack.

“We’ve got a Defence Secretary saying that diplomacy is the long runway we need but won’t condemn Donald Trump when he attacks a country and assassinates its leader.

“That’s the law of the jungle. That’s an end to international law.

“It’s quite astounding that we have a Prime Minister that seems singularly incapable of standing up to Donald Trump and letting the UK stand on its own two feet, and I’m worried the UK is going to be pulled into another illegal war.”

Priti Patel has questioned why the Prime Minister was not more “proactive” in the run-up to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

She said: “A lot of this has been about why has Keir Starmer not actually worked with our American allies to be much more proactive?

“On the basis that a lot of intelligence is shared between our two countries, the Americans would easily have shared – and rightly so – details of their plans.

“Why were some of our bases not used? And was the British Government asked about use of our military bases in the defensive strikes that took place?”