Dubai’s main airport, the world’s busiest aviation hub, was partially damaged by a suspected aerial strike on one of its main terminal buildings, marking another escalation after air traffic in the Persian Gulf closed down hours after Iran’s retaliatory attacks.

The airport operator confirmed that one concourse at Dubai International “sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained,” and that four employees sustained injuries, according to a statement.

Footage shared on social media showed a thin plume of smoke rising from one of the main departure buildings, with emergency and fire services on the tarmac. Another video from inside the building appeared to show some damage, though the overall structure was broadly intact.

The strike highlights just how deep Iran’s retaliatory campaign against the initial attack by U.S. and Israeli forces has advanced into the Persian Gulf, where authorities were forced to respond to a barrage of missile and drone attacks by closing the airspace.

The fallout was most immediate at the main airports in the region, where tens of thousands of travelers were left stranded as airspaces closed down, forcing Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and other carriers to halt all operations.

At Dubai International Airport, arrivals and departure boards in the terminals initially showed major delays that quickly cascaded into a full suspension, a disruption on a scale not seen in decades. Emirates has long prided itself in its clockwork operations, even in times of crisis — be it the pandemic or regional strife. But this time, interrupting all services was the only possible response.

Emirates extended flight cancellations into Sunday morning, while Qatar Airways said operations are suspended until further notice, with an update planned for Sunday morning. Etihad Airways said earlier on Saturday that it will maintain the suspension at least until Sunday afternoon.

Disruptions at airports in the region weren’t limited to cancellations. Kuwait’s civil aviation authority said a drone hit the country’s airport, causing several light injuries and “limited” damages to the passenger building.

The region functions as a global superconnector, linking any two points on the planet with one single stop in airports like Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. As a result, carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have created massive fleets that funnel passengers through their hubs, turning the Middle East into a vital artery for global air-traffic flows.

The Persian Gulf has become accustomed to disruptions as the skies over large swaths of the Middle East suffered restrictions several times during the past two years. Airlines have been forced to cancel flights on profitable routes, spend more on jet fuel and pass through countries they usually avoid — like Afghanistan — as they avoid dangerous airspace.

But an outright suspension for many hours on a massive regional scale is unprecedented, highlighting the stakes in the conflict that’s pitting Iran against Israel and the U.S.

Dubai is the world’s busiest international airport, handling more than 2,000 daily flights by more than 100 airlines that operate at the hub. Emirates is the flagship operator, with a fleet of long-haul Boeing Co. and Airbus SE aircraft that fly to more than 140 destinations worldwide.

The facility is usually able to clear the thousands of passengers that flow through the airport in a matter of minutes, using advanced technology including face-recognition. On Saturday, check-in halls quickly filled up with stranded travelers. Electronic smart gates were closed off, leading to longer lines as people crowded immigration desks.

Lines snaked through the departure area of the airport, while others rushed to the exits in search of taxis back into town. Many sought to receive hotel vouchers that the airlines had promised.

Some passengers were initially hopeful that they would able to make their flight, but around 4 p.m. all operations came to a halt, and thousands of people were told to leave the airport.

Other passengers believed that they had gotten out just in time, only to see their flights turn back because the air space they were traversing had become too dangerous. An Emirates Airbus A380 superjumbo bound for San Francisco turned back to its base in Dubai, and other aircraft were also left out of position, adding to the chaos on the ground.

At Doha airport, which handles about a 1000 flights a day, similar scenes unfolded, reminiscent of the situation last year in June, when scattered Iranian strikes on Qatar left 20,000 travelers temporarily stranded.

“People are very tired and very nervous, some have no idea what’s coming next and for how long we are stuck,” said Tarun Pathak, who was traveling from New Delhi to via Doha to Barcelona on a business trip.

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