After flights were halted due to the expanding conflict in the Middle East, Etihad and Emirates resumed limited operations on Monday.

The Abu Dhabi- and Dubai-based carriers restarted a small number of services on Monday afternoon. Flight-tracking data showed Etihad aircraft departing first.

Dubai authorities said there would be a “limited resumption of operations” and asked passengers to come to the airport only if they had been contacted directly.

Dubai Airports said flights would resume on a limited basis from DXB and Al Maktoum International Airport from Monday evening, the Dubai Media Office said.

Etihad Airways said it had resumed some limited flight operations on Monday as airlines in the region adjust to disruption caused by the Iran conflict since Saturday.

Airspace closures across several Middle Eastern countries followed Israeli and US attacks on Iran and Tehran’s military response. The shutdown affected the United Arab Emirates and major airports including Dubai and Doha.

“Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals,” Etihad said in a statement to Reuters, adding that all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remained cancelled.

Etihad’s website showed several departures from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport on Monday, with destinations including London, Paris, Moscow and Amsterdam. Flights were also listed for Jeddah and Kochi.

The airline did not say which flights were being used to repatriate passengers stranded by the conflict. Earlier, Etihad said in a travel note on its website that all flights to and from Abu Dhabi were suspended until 10:00 GMT on Tuesday.

The UAE’s civil aviation authority said it would begin operating “special flights” across airports in the country to allow stranded passengers to depart, according to the state news agency.