Timeline
March 1, 2026 — March 2, 2026
Politics
Timeline: How US-Israel Strikes on Iran Triggered Global Aviation Crisis Over 3 Days
In late February 2026, joint US-Israeli military strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering massive Iranian retaliation across the Middle East. The conflict caused unprecedented aviation disruption, with major airports shut down, thousands of flights cancelled, and hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded worldwide—the worst global air travel crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.
14 events · 1 days · 30 source articles
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Major
US and Israel Launch Major Combat Operations Against Iran
The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes across Iran in the early hours of Saturday, February 28. The attacks killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and at least 201 others, including 148 people at a girls' school in Minab, southern Iran. President Trump announced the operations and later claimed on Truth Social that Khamenei had been killed, which was subsequently confirmed by Iranian state media.
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Major
Iran Launches Retaliatory Missile Strikes Across Gulf Region
Iran responded with extensive retaliatory missile attacks targeting US and Israeli assets across neighboring Gulf states. The strikes hit major airports including Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, and sites in Doha, Bahrain, and Israel. Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest international travel hub handling over 1,000 flights daily, sustained significant damage.
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Major
Multiple Countries Close Airspace, Major Airports Shut Down
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Jordan announced at least partial closures of their airspace. Major regional aviation hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha were forced to shut down completely. Flight tracking maps showed skies over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, and Bahrain virtually empty of civilian aircraft.
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Major
Airlines Begin Mass Flight Cancellations Worldwide
Major carriers including Emirates, Etihad, Air France, British Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and Scoot announced widespread flight cancellations. According to aviation analytics company Cirium, of approximately 4,218 flights scheduled to land in Middle Eastern countries on Saturday, 966 (22.9%) were cancelled. Indian carriers alone cancelled 410 domestic flights on February 28.
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Moderate
US State Department Issues Worldwide Caution for Americans
The US State Department issued an unprecedented worldwide security alert urging all Americans, not just those in the Middle East, to 'exercise increased caution' following the launch of US combat operations in Iran. Multiple US embassies and consulates across the Middle East advised US citizens to shelter in place as tensions escalated.
Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Moderate
Airport Attacks Result in Casualties Across Gulf States
Iranian strikes caused casualties at multiple airports. One person was killed and seven injured at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport from debris of an intercepted drone. Four staff members were wounded at Dubai International Airport after terminals were hit. By this point, at least four people had been killed across the Gulf states in Iran's retaliatory attacks.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Major
Hundreds of Thousands of Travelers Stranded Globally
Tourists and business travelers crowded hotels and airports worldwide with no word on when airports would reopen or flights would resume. Passengers struggled to reach airlines on jammed phone lines and make new travel arrangements. The Australian government estimated 115,000 Australians were in the Middle East, while over 200,000 British nationals were thought to be at risk in the Gulf region.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Minor
India Issues Advisory for Stranded Foreign Nationals
India's Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory offering assistance to foreign nationals stranded in India who needed to change their travel plans. The ministry directed them to contact the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for visa extensions or to regularize their stay, as airspace restrictions continued over Iran and the Middle East.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Moderate
Singapore Airlines Extends Cancellations Through March 7
Singapore Airlines announced it was cancelling 26 total flights between February 28 and March 7. Daily flights SQ494 and SQ495 between Singapore and Dubai (16 total flights) were cancelled, along with select Scoot flights TR596 and TR597 between Singapore and Jeddah. The airline urged customers to update contact details to receive flight updates.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Major
Israel and Iran Trade New Attacks on Sunday
Fighting continued into the third day as Israel launched another wave of strikes on Iran on Sunday. Loud blasts were heard for a second day near Dubai and over Doha. US officials confirmed three American service members had been killed in action, while at least 10 people were killed in strikes in Israel. Iranian officials reported additional casualties from the continued attacks.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Major
Aviation Crisis Reaches Nearly 19,000 Flight Delays
The disruption was confirmed as the biggest to global air transport since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 19,000 flights were delayed, with over 1,800 flights cancelled by major Middle Eastern airlines alone. Key transit hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha—crucial connectors between Europe, Africa, the West, and Asia—remained shut or severely restricted.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Moderate
Indian Aviation Sector Faces Massive Disruption
India's Ministry of Civil Aviation reported that 410 domestic carrier flights were cancelled on February 28, with 444 flights expected to be suspended on March 1 due to continuing airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East. The cancellations affected flights to Dubai, London, Mumbai, and other major destinations.
Mon, Mar 2, 2026
Moderate
Australian Flights Continue to Be Scrapped, Thousands Stranded
At least 1,200 flights were cancelled out of Dubai International Airport alone. Australian travelers reported being stranded in Qatar and other Middle East locations. Five cancellations affected Sydney-bound flights to Dubai or Qatar, with seven from Melbourne. The hardest-hit carriers serving Australia were Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways.
Mon, Mar 2, 2026
Moderate
UK Government Advises Against Travel to 21 Middle East Countries
The UK Government issued updated travel advice warning against travel to 21 countries in the Middle East as hostilities continued. With more than 200,000 British nationals potentially at risk in the Gulf region and major travel hubs like Dubai and Doha—previously marketed as safe havens—under attack, the government advised British nationals to avoid the region entirely.
Share this story