The first aircraft operated by Emirates Airlines departed from Dubai bound for Frankfurt, marking a gradual resumption of flights after numerous cancellations caused by the conflict with Iran.

A spokesperson for Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, confirmed on the morning of March 3 that the Emirates flight was en route. According to the airport’s online arrivals board, the aircraft is expected to land in Frankfurt later this afternoon.

The resumption follows several days of widespread flight suspensions after the United Arab Emirates announced a partial closure of its airspace and halted all departures from Dubai airports last Saturday amid escalating regional tensions.

Emirates said it would prioritise passengers with confirmed bookings, with customers reassigned to the limited available flights notified directly by the airline.

To prevent congestion and ensure smooth operations, Emirates and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority urged travellers not to head to the airport unless they had received official confirmation of their flight.

Authorities in the UAE and Qatar have also arranged special flights to assist stranded passengers affected by cancellations during the early days of the conflict. The gradual restoration of services signals cautious steps toward stabilising air travel in the region.

Following the UAE, Qatar said on March 3 that Iranian missile strikes had targeted its entire territory and warned that the attacks would prompt a response, marking a significant escalation of the conflict beyond Iran's borders.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Doha had not been notified in advance of the attacks and that the strikes were not limited to military sites.

Al-Ansari said Qatari air defence systems had intercepted 89 of 93 Iranian missiles fired at the country. In remarks to CNN, he said the intercepted strikes had targeted civilian infrastructure, including the international airport.