ABU DHABI/DUBAI/DOHA/DHAKA: Hundreds of thousands of travelers were left stranded on March 1 as escalating strikes involving the United States, Israel, and Iran forced the shutdown of much of the Middle East's airspace, throwing global travel into disarray.

Tourists and business travelers packed airports and hotels, struggling to reach airlines on jammed phone lines and unclear online portals, with little indication of when key hubs would reopen. Several governments urged citizens stuck in the region to shelter in place.

Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha — critical transit hubs linking Europe, Africa, and the West with Asia — were shut after being directly hit by strikes. Dubai International Airport is among the busiest in the world.

At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Mannan waited anxiously, hoping to reach the Middle East for work.

"We have set out to go for work, and we must go," he said. "My only concern is how to go abroad and how to earn an income."

Confusion reigned as airlines suspended operations, and information proved difficult to obtain.

In Dubai, stranded travelers reported hearing fighter jets overhead and an explosion when a missile struck the Fairmont Palm Hotel. Emirates suspended all flights to and from Dubai.

Louise Herrle and her husband, returning to Pittsburgh after touring Dubai and Abu Dhabi, saw their flight to Washington canceled, with no clear rebooking timeline.

"We're in the hotel room, we are not leaving it, so you're not going to give it up until we know we have a flight out of here," Herrle said. "I'm sure everyone else is in the same situation."

Flights Canceled, Airspace Closed

Aviation analytics firm Cirium said it was difficult to estimate the total number of stranded passengers worldwide. It noted that at least 90,000 travelers normally transfer daily through Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi on Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways alone.

Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates were closed, according to flight tracking services and local authorities.

More than 2,800 flights to and from airports across the Middle East were canceled on March 1, including flights to and from airports that remained open in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, according to FlightAware. Dozens of additional cancellations were reported at major international airports in London, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Istanbul, Sri Lanka, and Paris.

Airlines signaled that disruptions would continue. Air India suspended flights to and from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar. Israeli airline EL AL said it was preparing to bring home Israelis stranded abroad once airspace reopens and halted ticket sales through March 21 to prioritize affected passengers.

Two airports in the United Arab Emirates reported strikes. Dubai International Airport said four people were injured. Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi reported one death and seven injuries from a drone strike. Strikes were also reported at Kuwait International Airport. Iran did not publicly claim responsibility.

Ongoing Disruption Expected

Airlines urged passengers to check flight status before heading to airports. Some carriers issued waivers allowing travelers to rebook without extra charges, while others offered full refunds.

"For travelers, there's no way to sugarcoat this," said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. "You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end."

Mike McCormick, a former Federal Aviation Administration official who oversaw air traffic control, said airspace could reopen once U.S. and Israeli officials clarify military flight paths and assess Iran's missile capabilities.

The ripple effects stretched far beyond the region. On Indonesia's resort island of Bali, airport authorities said more than 1,600 tourists were stranded after five Middle East-bound flights were canceled or postponed.

Airlines rerouting flights around conflict zones, often flying farther south over Saudi Arabia, face longer travel times and higher operating costs.

Kristy Ellmer, an American business traveler staying in Dubai, said she was keeping multiple bookings open in case airports reopen, while remaining cautious amid explosions.

"You hear a lot of explosions at times, there's hundreds of them," Ellmer said. "And so when we hear them, we sort of just don't stay near the windows just in case the glass was to break, or there was some impact."