Explosions echoed across Dubai on Saturday after Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes across the Gulf following joint US-Israeli attacks on Tehran. Residents across multiple neighbourhoods reported loud blasts, shaking windows and missiles streaking across the sky.
Authorities also confirmed an “incident” in Palm Jumeirah, while precautionary evacuations and airspace closures followed across the emirate.
Here is the full list of key locations in Dubai where explosions were heard or incidents were reported:
1) Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai
The world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, was evacuated as explosions were heard across central Dubai.
Residents in Downtown said they heard a “rumble and then a bang,” with some reporting that high-rise windows shook. The evacuation was described as a precautionary step amid concerns over falling debris from intercepted missiles.
Sirens were reported in parts of the city as UAE air defences intercepted incoming projectiles.
2) Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah was the site of a fire. The Dubai Media Office said emergency response teams were deployed after an explosion was reported in a building on the man-made island. Dubai Civil Defence confirmed a resulting fire was brought under control.
Four individuals were injured and transferred to medical facilities. Authorities secured the site and urged residents to rely only on official updates.
3) Sheikh Zayed Road area (near Fairmont Dubai)
Residents in the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor reported loud blasts and visible flashes in the sky.
The area near Fairmont Dubai, a prominent high-rise hotel, was among locations where people said windows rattled as interceptions took place overhead.
There were no confirmed reports of structural damage in this stretch, but witnesses described seeing “fireballs” followed by smoke trails across the sky.
4) Dubai Marina and high-rise clusters
Although no direct impact was confirmed, residents in Marina towers reported hearing the blasts clearly, with some describing vibrations in residential buildings.
Many residents stepped onto balconies to see streaks of light crossing the sky before disappearing.
5) Jebel Ali area
While not confirmed as a strike location, the broader Jebel Ali area – which hosts key port and logistics infrastructure – was among zones where residents reported hearing distant booms.
Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port is known as a frequent port of call for US naval vessels, heightening anxiety amid reports that Iran was targeting US-linked facilities across the Gulf.
What authorities said
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that air defence systems intercepted multiple waves of Iranian missiles and drones. Debris from interceptions fell in parts of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, though no injuries were reported at debris sites in Dubai.
Dubai Airports suspended operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC), urging passengers not to head to terminals.
Authorities repeatedly stressed that the situation in the UAE remains under control and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information.
US-Iran war
The blasts in Dubai came as Iran launched missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The strikes followed US-Israeli military operations in Tehran, named “Operation Epic Fury” by the Pentagon.
Across the Gulf, sirens sounded, airspace shut down and flights were cancelled as one of the region’s most serious escalations in recent years unfolded.
