The new chapter of military escalation in the Middle East reached Dubai this weekend, where attacks attributed to Iran impacted and caused fires in luxury hotels, according to reports and confirmations from local authorities.
Among the affected objectives is the Fairmont The Palm, on the exclusive Palm Jumeirah island, which experienced a direct impact and a fire that forced guests and tourists to evacuate amid panic; additionally, authorities reported four injuries and stated that the fire was brought under control.
In a second incident, the Dubai Media Office confirmed that a drone was intercepted and its debris caused a minor fire on the exterior facade of the Burj Al Arab, with no reports of injuries, and that the Civil Defense responded immediately to manage the situation.
The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates stated that it has intercepted 137 missiles and over 200 drones, describing the Iranian action as a "blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law."
Iranian media claimed to have attacked Dubai, although without specifying concrete targets.
Images that have been circulated show the moment of the impact on the Fairmont The Palm, with a visible explosion and columns of black smoke rising over the area.
Dubai authorities confirmed four people were injured and that the fire has been contained, without disclosing further details about material damage.
The impacts were not limited to the Emirates. In Bahrain, columns of smoke were observed near the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in Manama; a video would show the impact of a drone against a residential building.
In Qatar, the Ministry of Defense reported that it intercepted missiles aimed at Al-Udeid Air Base, described as the largest American base in the region.
In Kuwait, a drone attacking the international airport reportedly caused minor injuries to employees and limited damage, with evacuations in residential areas.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that the attacks would be part of Operation “True Promise 4,” presented as retaliation for the joint offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran.
The information also warns about the potential impact on the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for the global transport of oil and gas: British maritime authorities have alerted of a partial closure, which could put pressure on energy markets and affect the global economy.
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