In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Iran launched a series of missile and drone strikes across the region on Saturday, targeting assets in several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The attacks come in retaliation to what Iranian state media described as a "massive" joint US-Israeli assault on Tehran and other Iranian sites earlier in the day.
Explosions rocked multiple locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with UAE defense systems intercepting a barrage of incoming projectiles.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that air defense systems successfully neutralized several missiles and drones, describing the incident as a "blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law."
Debris from intercepted missiles fell in populated areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, causing limited damage and at least one reported fatality in Abu Dhabi.
A luxury hotel on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah, the Fairmont, was engulfed in flames following what witnesses and social media footage described as a direct hit from an Iranian missile or drone. Videos circulating online showed plumes of smoke rising from the site, with residents fleeing the area amid chaos. Iranian media acknowledged launching attacks on US-hosted assets in Gulf states but did not specify targets in Dubai.
