Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following military strikes involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, thousands of citizens have found themselves caught in a massive aviation standstill.
The situation remains fluid as major hubs like Hamad International (Doha) and Dubai International (DXB) operate under severe restrictions.
As of March 3, 2026, the closure of airspaces over Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia has left an estimated 8,000 passengers stranded in Qatar alone, with tens of thousands more affected across the Gulf.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday informed that nearly 8,000 people are stranded in transit in the country, Al Jazeera reported.
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that a large number of people are stranded as the airspace remains closed due to the ongoing counter-strikes by Iran following the US and Israel attack on the Persian Gulf country that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures.
The Qatar Foreign Ministry said that the attempts to attack Hamad International Airport have failed, Al Jazeera reported, adding that there was no ongoing communication with Iran, which has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region.
The Qatar FM spokesperson asserted that the country has enough interceptor missiles to deal with the ongoing threat. -- ANI
