Further details on some background events emerge from the regional Political Agent reports for the period. (36, 37)  On February 10th Dubai declared war on Sharjah, (a move related to local animosities within the Dubai ruling family (38)). Consequently Imperial Airways operations at both Dubai and Sharjah were affected as the battle ground was located between the two towns and might have included the aerodrome. The Political Officer requested that overnight stops at Sharjah be suspended for the safety of both the aircraft and passengers. He also was able to effect temporary cease-fires between the sides to allow aircraft to land and for passengers to be transported between the flying boats landing at Dubai and the Sharjah Rest House. The guard on the aerodrome was well maintained during these hostilities. Notable was the coincidental flooding of Bahrein's Muharraq aerodrome and strong headwinds which prevented westbound aircraft crossing the sea from Jiwani.  This may explain why Hannibal  is reported in some accounts to have requested sunset time at Bahrain.  "During the emergency caused by loss of the Hannibal, night stops were of necessity resumed." (36, p80) The mainly static war, "with both sides lacking the courage to launch an offensive",(37) was brought to an end  by a truce on March 10th.

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