The attack on the fuel tank near Dubai International Airport occurred in the early hours, according to multiple reports, and no injuries were reported from that strike. m. local time as a precautionary measure, the Dubai Media Office said, forcing Emirates flight EK24 from Edinburgh to turn back over Egypt.
A drone also hit a hotel-apartment skyscraper in a luxury neighbourhood, major media reported. On Friday, a huge explosion rocked Dubai when debris from intercepted Iranian drones damaged a building in the Dubai International Financial Centre, with thick black smoke seen for miles. The Dubai Media Office confirmed that debris caused a minor incident on a building's façade, with no injuries.
In Al Barsha, the facade of the 23 Marina tower was damaged after air defences responded to an Iranian strike, and a Pakistani driver was killed when debris fell on his vehicle, authorities said. The UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management confirmed its air defences were responding to a missile threat and urged residents to stay in a safe location. Two buildings were struck in Dubai after debris rained down from drones intercepted overhead, including the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City, with no casualties reported.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other US companies, accusing them of involvement in terrorist espionage, and earlier drone strikes caused considerable damage to three Amazon Web Services facilities across the UAE and Bahrain, according to major media. Iran continued its drone and missile attacks targeting American diplomatic missions in the Middle East. Attacks on the US Embassy in Kuwait and Riyadh occurred on Monday and Tuesday.
Residents heard a bang and one saw a blaze near the US Consulate in Dubai. Police cordoned off roads nearby and shooed away passersby trying to see the damage. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the drone strike in Dubai and said all staff were safe.
A drone struck a parking lot adjacent to the chancellery building and set off a fire; all personnel are accounted for. Thick black clouds of smoke were seen rising from behind the US Consulate building in videos recorded by locals. Dubai authorities confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained, with no injuries reported.
Emergency teams responded immediately to the fire near the US Consulate in Dubai. Dubai Media Office shared photos showing a mobile fire extinguisher van parked outside the US Consulate. The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the US Embassy was attacked by two drones, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.
The US embassy in Kuwait was struck on Monday, with smoke seen billowing from the building. The US embassy in Kuwait issued a security alert urging people to stay away due to a continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks. The US embassy in Kuwait did not announce it had been hit.
President Donald Trump claimed the US had 'totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel' on Kharg Island.
Iran expanded attacks to regional allies: oil facilities in Fujairah and Salalah port were struck, and Saudi Arabia intercepted attacks on an oil field and air base. At least three oil tanks were hit by drones at the port of Salalah in Oman on Tuesday. No deaths or injuries were reported in the Salalah attack, but the fire burned for several hours before being brought under control.
Other drones were shot down by air defences during the Salalah attack. Port operations in Salalah were temporarily suspended for safety reasons after the attack. The attack was the second on the same port within about a week, according to Wall Street Journal.
No official sources have confirmed that the damaged facilities in Salalah are American-owned. A suspected Iranian drone strike hit Fujairah, a major oil storage hub in the UAE, causing a blaze and partial suspension of oil operations. The strikes occurred after threats from Iranian forces to expand attacks on US allies, following the US strike on Iran’s Kharg Island.
Saudi Arabia confirmed it shot down attacks heading for the Shaybah oil field and Prince Sultan Air Base. A Swedish witness in Salalah described a large black smoke cloud covering the sky, with the smell spreading through the city and queues at petrol stations. Foreign governments issued travel warnings and repatriation efforts.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel guidance for the UAE on March 14, advising British travellers to stay away from areas around security or military facilities and US or Israeli government facilities. The FCDO guidance states that Iran continues to strike civilian infrastructure across the region such as hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, financial institutions, oil production sites, water systems, and airports. British Nationals in the UAE are urged to register their interest in UK government flights from the country.
Earlier in the week, Dubai banks including Citi and Standard Chartered were alleged to have ordered workers to leave their offices amid Iran's threats to target US and Israeli financial institutions. Officials at the Dubai International Financial Centre stated that reports of evacuations at Index Tower and ICD Brookfield Place were rumours and completely untrue. An Iranian official warned on Wednesday that Iran would target banks and economic centres linked to the United States and Israel.
Bloomberg employees based in the Gulf, including the Dubai regional headquarters, were asked to temporarily relocate and work elsewhere earlier this week. Banks such as Citigroup, Standard Chartered, and the London Stock Exchange Group have informed employees in Dubai to work remotely. A third government repatriation flight was set to leave Muscat in Oman, after the second Titan Airways operated service landed at Gatwick earlier.
British Airways has been running its own daily flights from Oman’s capital to repatriate its stranded customers in the UAE. More than 6,500 Britons have left the UAE since the conflict began a week ago, and over 160,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East with the UK government. The UAE cracked down on filming of attacks.
US President Donald Trump delivered an Easter message declaring that 'evil and wickedness shall not prevail', following reports that two US warplanes had been shot down.
A 60-year-old British tourist was arrested in Dubai on Monday for allegedly filming Iranian missiles whilst on holiday. 21 people have been taken into custody under UAE’s cyber crime laws for sharing footage of incidents. The British Embassy in the UAE has reiterated that photographing or sharing images of incident sites, projectile damage, government buildings, or diplomatic missions is strictly prohibited, with penalties including up to two years in prison or fines.
Iranian leadership issued statements. The new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first official statement on Thursday, addressing Gulf nations and emphasizing good relations with neighbouring countries. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to Gulf countries, including the UAE, promising no further strikes unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.
President Donald Trump claimed the US had 'totally obliterated every military target in Iran’s crown jewel' on Kharg Island. US warplanes were shot down, and a search is underway for a missing airman. US President Donald Trump delivered an Easter message declaring that 'evil and wickedness shall not prevail', following reports that two US warplanes had been shot down.
American officials have reportedly confirmed that Iran was responsible for downing two US aircraft, with a search underway for a missing airman. Additional incidents included lightning striking the Burj Khalifa, a missile alert during Eid, repeated flight suspensions, and ongoing air defence interceptions. Lightning struck the Burj Khalifa in Dubai on Thursday evening, March 26, amid adverse weather with intense thunderstorms and risk of flooding.
The lightning was safely diverted through the building's protection system. The National Centre of Meteorology reported that the weather system would bring heavy rain and stormy conditions causing travel disruption. Dubai's Media Office issued a safety warning for residents to remain cautious in the storm, with unstable weather until the morning of Friday, 27 March 2026.
UAE air defences responded to incoming missiles and drones from Iran overnight on Wednesday. Flights were again suspended from Dubai International Airport on Saturday morning, with alerts sounding in the terminal and passengers led to underground train tunnels. Emirates resumed operations later that morning.
Dubai experienced a missile alert on Friday, 20 March, with air defences activating against incoming fire; all interceptions were successful and no injuries were sustained. The event took place as many in the country were observing Eid al-Fitr. Iran has carried out repeated drone attacks on the UAE in recent weeks, including Dubai’s airport, hotels, its harbour and residential towers.
The UAE’s ministry of defence says it has countered over 1,514 drones and 268 ballistic missiles since the war began. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have also come under attack by Iran. Many foreign governments have advised against travel to the Gulf and other parts of the Middle East, and have urged their citizens to leave.