Two men from Northern Ireland cannot return home after flights halted from Qatar and Dubai due to airspace closures following missile interceptions over the region. The disruptions stem from Iranian missile launches intercepted by local defences amid the Iran-Israel conflict.

Kyle Martin from Banbridge arrived in Doha on Saturday for a connecting flight from Australia. That night in his hotel, he heard loud explosions that shook the ground and windows. News showed interceptions overhead. From his window, he saw an anti-missile launcher atop a nearby skyscraper. The next morning on a beach walk, he spotted two warships patrolling before police cleared the area and banned photos. Qatar Airways reports airspace remains closed with no resumption date.

Jonny McKinney from Antrim reached Dubai on Thursday with his wife Katy for business meetings and property paperwork. They sheltered in their hotel basement at 1:15am Sunday after a strike on the nearby Fairmont Hotel. Around 9am Monday, they heard five blasts from further interceptions and a fast jet passed overhead. Their Dubai-to-Dublin flight scheduled for Wednesday faces delays.

Joe Girvin from Edendork in Tyrone lives in Dubai Sports City. On Saturday after a 1:30pm to 4:30pm gig, his fiancee joined him following two explosions. Leaving the venue, they saw a missile intercepted overhead with debris causing city damage. During a 6pm gig, orange flares appeared followed by explosions that cancelled the event. Further blasts shook his home until 2am. Monday morning on a dog walk, he heard a whistle then two explosions with ground shaking and smoke clouds. He relocated 70 miles outside Dubai.