Visitors to the United Arab Emirates are being warned not to take any photos or videos inside Dubai International Airport (DXB), amid warnings they could face criminal penalties, including imprisonment in Dubai’s notorious Al Barsha jail, huge fines, and deportation.
The warning, which includes banning visitors from filming any departures or arrivals from what is normally the busiest airport in the world for international flights, comes after the UAE’s Attorney General said videos could “constitute behavior contrary to the law.”
An Iranian Shahed-136 drone has impacted Dubai International Airport in the UAE. pic.twitter.com/hFgHkZtgZY
— AMK Mapping 🇳🇿 (@AMK_Mapping_) March 7, 2026
#Dubai Air defence 🇦🇪#UAE pic.twitter.com/MEkrzlYWWi
— C4H10FO2P ☠️ (@markito0171) March 7, 2026
Smoke seen rising from near Dubai International Airport, following a possible ballistic missile or drone strike by Iran. pic.twitter.com/3gYTgoONat
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 7, 2026
Authorities in Dubai and elsewhere across the UAE have repeatedly warned that posting photos and videos about Iranian missiles and kamikaze drones being targeted towards the emirates could be illegal and lead to criminal prosecution.
The latest warning, however, came after Dubai International Airport narrowly avoided a direct hit by an explosive Iranian one-way attack drone that appears to have been intercepted at very low altitude close to Concourse A of DXB’s crown jewel, Terminal 3, on Saturday.
For several hours on Saturday, all arrivals and departures at Dubai International Airport were suspended as the UAE’s armed forces engaged what appears to have been a concerted attempt to target the airport.
Aircraft readying for departure were evacuated, passengers and staff were ordered to shelter in place in the airport, and inbound flights were diverted to other airports across the region, including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Muscat.
For a short period, Emirates urged passengers not to travel to the airport and warned that it had suspended its operations until further notice. Within an hour, however, the airline had a spectacular change of heart, and flights were suddenly restarted.
The Dubai Media Office, the government’s official communications department, initially dismissed reports on social media of an incident occurring at the airport, before video of an Iranian drone exploding close to an Emirates aircraft on the outskirts of the airfield found its way onto social media.
The video had the potential to damage the UAE’s carefully crafted messaging that Iranian drones and ballistic missiles posed little to no threat against the country’s sophisticated air defense system, which has already intercepted 1,342 drones, 221 ballistic missiles, and 8 cruise missiles in little more than a week.
Other videos and photos taken by passengers inside the terminal building showed what appeared to be seperate intercepts close to the airport, with rings of thick black smoke rising in the air close to or above the airfield.
Dr. Hamed Saif Al Shamsi, the UAE’s state attorney, had already “warned against photographing, publishing, or circulating photos and video clips documenting incident sites or damage resulting from the fall of projectiles or shrapnel in some areas.”
Officially, the UAE says doing so “may incite panic among community members and create a false impression of the true situation in the country.”
Many commentators, however, believe the UAE is desperate to protect its carefully honed image as a safe, cosmopolitan, tax-free haven – an oasis of calm in an otherwise troubled world.
India’s Embassy in the UAE has taken the warning seriously, advising its citizens in an official advisory not to take any photographs in or around Dubai International Airport.
The advisory explains: “To ensure your safety and avoid legal consequences, all Indian nationals are advised to observe the following… Do not take photographs/videos inside the airport during arrival/departure.”
The advisory adds: “Strictly avoid sharing or publicizing images of incident sites, including damage from projectiles or shrapnel, via digital/social media platforms.”
Late last week, Dubai-based mega airline Emirates said it was targeting a return to 100% of its network within days after the UAE government authorized the reopening of airspace along ‘safe air corridors.’
The airline is yet to comment on whether these plans will be adjusted given Saturday’s incident. In a statement, Emirates said it “continues to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly.”
