A drone strike hit a parking area adjacent to the US Consulate in Dubai late Tuesday, the third American diplomatic facility targeted within 48 hours.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a fire broke out near the chancellery building, but confirmed that all personnel were safe and accounted for.
Visuals from the scene showed thick black smoke rising behind the US Consulate building.
Dubai authorities, including the Dubai Media Office, said emergency teams quickly contained the blaze and no injuries were reported.
In a post on X, Dubai Media Office, “The fire near the US Consulate in Dubai has been fully extinguished, with no injuries reported. Dubai authorities reaffirm their commitment to ensuring everyone’s safety and security.”
Following the alleged assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks on three US diplomatic missions in the Gulf by March 4.
Attack on UAE Consulate
A suspected Iranian drone struck near the US Consulate in Dubai late Tuesday night, igniting a fire in the parking area, which was quickly extinguished by emergency teams. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that all employees were safe.
Saudi Embassy targeted
On the morning of March 3, two drones attacked the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing a minor fire, roof collapse, and structural damage. The building was empty; no injuries were reported.
Attack on Kuwait Embassy
On March 2, drones attacked the US Embassy compound in Kuwait City, causing smoke and has now been closed. No one at the embassy was injured, although six US service members were killed in a separate attack in Kuwait.
US-Israel attack on Iran
The attacks follow coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes carried out on February 28 against multiple Iranian targets, including military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites and key infrastructure. The strikes reportedly killed Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials and triggered large explosions in Tehran and other cities.
In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at US bases and allied targets across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, sharply escalating the conflict and raising risks for civilians and foreign nationals.
US and Israeli officials have described the February 28 operation, codenamed Operation Roaring Lion by Israel and Epic Fury by the United States, as a pre-emptive decapitation strike aimed at eliminating Iran’s top leadership amid rising regional threats.
