UK Government to constitution flight for British nationals caught in Dubai – as Iranian assaults proceed after president’s apology to Gulf

The UK Government will charter a commercial flight out of the United Arab Emirates which would leave Dubai early next week, subject to the situation on the ground.

British nationals and their spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 are eligible to register their interest, which is available for a charge.

The flight will be in addition to commercial routes operating out of the UAE.

The latest arrivals join more than 9,000 Britons who have returned from the United Arab Emirates since widespread conflict began in the region.

Two repatriation flights for British nationals have landed on UK soil from Muscat, Oman, with a third set to leave on Saturday.

The first repatriation flight from Oman was delayed by several hours this week, leaving passengers ‘traumatised’ after it had to be grounded on Wednesday as the pilot had ‘exceeded his hours’.

Witnesses claimed people were having panic attacks, while others were banging on windows due to the delays as they desperately tried to return home to loved ones.

Travelling via Cairo, Egypt, the flight finally landed back at Stansted, Essex, at around 12.53am on Friday morning.

The second plane took off from Muscat just hours after the first charter flight arrived in London and touched down on Saturday.

It comes as a luxury residential skyscraper in Dubai has been struck by debris from a suspected Iranian drone that was intercepted by the UAE.

Photographs and footage show smoke rising from the 23 Marina tower, which stands 88-storeys tall and comprises more than 280 units.

Iran has continued to launch missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf despite an earlier apology from President Masoud Pezeshkian, referring to previous strikes, adding the country will ‘no longer attack neighboring countries or launch missiles unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.’

The Emirates had earlier reported ‘incoming missile and drone threats from Iran’.

The Dubai Media Office confirmed that debris resulting from a ‘successful interception’ had caused a ‘minor incident’ on the facade of the residential tower.

It added that the situation was contained and there are no reported injuries.

Dubai International Airport was also closed forced to close today and passengers were ordered off planes this morning after a suspected Iranian drone strike triggered a huge explosion near the complex.

British travellers were among those left stranded as flights were halted and terminals evacuated, leaving many scrambling to find a way out of the UAE. 

British tourist Mike Linn from Edinburgh said he came to the airport determined to leave, despite the drone chaos.

‘We saw some stuff online about it while we were back in the hotel and decided to come to the airport anyway, said Mike, 51.

Travelling with his wife Lisa, 49, a clinical researcher, along with two other couples, he added: ‘We’re desperate to get home.

‘We’d been due to return on Tuesday, but various cancellations, meant we were booked on various flights which we don’t think would go.

‘We’ve got a 15-year-old and a 21-year-old back home. The 15-year-old’s staying with friends until we can get back.’

Explosions were reported near the airport around 8am local time (4am GMT), with a fire seen burning close to the site. 

Video circulating online appears to show a projectile heading toward the airport as a man behind the camera shouts: ‘It’s coming, it’s coming to the airport.’ 

Moments later a huge explosion erupts, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air. ‘Oh my God,’ he adds.

Linn said the couple had tried to change their travel plans as the situation worsened.

‘We were meant to be flying back to Edinburgh, but yesterday we managed to book on a flight to Heathrow,’ he said.

‘Then when we arrived at the airport I saw a post on Twitter from Emirates saying flights were cancelled again.’

The airport has since partially reopened.

Dubai authorities were quick to claim that there had been ‘no incident’ at the airport, but confirmed there had been a successful interception of a drone, with no injuries reported.  

Iran has unleashed a series of furious retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, launching attacks on Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel in a series of assaults that have left the region in flames.

Drones have struck oil facilities and airports in Iraq as US-led troops gunned down several potential attacks over the Kurdish city of Erbil amid warnings of possible attacks on hotels.

A network of Iranian-backed Shia factions, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed it launched an attack on a US military base near Baghdad Airport ‘in retribution’ for the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed last Saturday.

Meanwhile, Israel and Iran have continued to exchange fire overnight, with the IDF confirming it had launched a fresh wave of attacks against ‘terror targets’ in the Dahiyeh District of Beirut, Lebanon, as the war enters its eighth day.

Iran also fired its 23rd round of strikes, a statement from IRGC-affiliated Tasmin news agency said, as the IDF reported missiles coming from the region towards Israel had been detected.

Explosive flames and billowing smoke has been raging over Tehran after airstrikes struck Mehrabad International Airport in the early hours of this morning.

Nine out of ten drone attacks launched towards Qatar were intercepted, with the tenth striking an uninhabited area, the country’s Ministry of Defence said, while also confirming no injuries were caused.

Four drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field in Saudi Arabia were intercepted and destroyed over the Empty Quarter desert, officials confirmed.

At the same time, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Britain ‘stood ready’ to defend its ally.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.