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Thick smoke rose over Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah after what authorities called an “incident,” following reports of an Iranian missile strike amid escalating regional tensions.
Social media videos showed thick plumes of smoke rising over on Saturday after what authorities described as an “incident” in the Palm Jumeirah area, Dubai, following reports of an Iranian ballistic missile strike.
Footage circulating online captured dark smoke jetting into the sky from a building on Palm Jumeirah, the city’s iconic man-made island.
Four injured, emergency teams respond
The Dubai Media Office said emergency response teams had been deployed to an incident at a building in Palm Jumeirah and confirmed that four individuals were injured. No further details were immediately provided about the extent of the damage.
Witnesses describe loud explosion and rushing ambulances
Two witnesses told AFP they heard a loud explosion and saw a plume of smoke rising from The Palm amid heightened regional tensions. One witness said thick black smoke appeared to be coming from a hotel on the island and described ambulances speeding toward the area. Residents and AFP correspondents across the city reported hearing several loud bangs following the initial blast.
Strike follows Iran’s Gulf retaliation
The incident came as Iran carried out retaliatory strikes in the Gulf following US and Israeli attacks, marking a sharp escalation in regional hostilities.
Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, though there was no immediate word on damage or casualties there.
Across the Gulf, the fallout was swift. said Iran targeted its capital and eastern region in attacks that were repelled. reported a missile attack aimed at the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, with residents hearing sirens and explosions. Witnesses in and also described blasts, while smoke was seen rising from US bases in Manama and Abu Dhabi.
Panic in Doha, projectiles seen over Abu Dhabi
In Doha, panic spread after a falling missile reportedly struck a residential neighborhood, erupting in a fireball. In Abu Dhabi, golfers were stunned to see projectiles streaking overhead. The barrage shattered the sense of calm long cultivated by the oil-rich Gulf monarchies, which have sought to position themselves as stable hubs for business, trade and tourism.
Residents evacuated in Bahrain, blasts heard in Riyadh
In Bahrain’s capital, residents were evacuated from the Juffair district housing the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet base after it was hit. “When we heard the sounds, we cried out of fear,” said a 15-year-old school student visiting a friend in the area. In Riyadh, residents described loud blasts and confusion as missiles crossed the skies.
The escalation has also disrupted regional air travel. Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace, while southern Syria also halted flights. Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest for international passengers — reported more than 700 inbound and outbound flights canceled, with operations suspended indefinitely at both Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airports.
US embassies and consulates in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel advised staff and American citizens to shelter in place until further notice.
Airspace clsures and mass flight cancellations
United Airlines said flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai were diverted or returned to the United States and announced cancellations through the weekend, offering travel waivers to affected passengers.
The unfolding crisis has sent shockwaves across the Gulf, raising fears of broader regional conflict and threatening the stability that has underpinned the region’s economic growth for decades.
English (US) ·