Dubai’s Burj Khalifa was evacuated after explosions were heard across the city as Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes targeting US military locations across the Gulf following joint American and Israeli attacks on Tehran.
Iran carried out attacks targeting locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Doha in Qatar and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Residents in Dubai told AFP they heard loud explosions and saw missiles streaking across the sky. “It was a big explosion, and it made the windows shake,” one witness said. Another resident said she saw three missiles moving across the sky before disappearing into the distance, describing them as fireballs followed by a trail of smoke. A first wave of explosions was reported earlier in the day, followed by more blasts later.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said a civilian of Asian nationality was killed after missile debris fell in a residential area of Abu Dhabi. “Such acts constitute a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that threatens the safety of civilians and undermines stability,” the ministry said.
The missile strikes followed joint US and Israeli operations against Iran earlier in the day. The Pentagon named the operation targeting Tehran Operation Epic Fury. Israel claimed Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in the strikes.
Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama. Qatar said it intercepted incoming attacks and reported no casualties or material damage in residential areas. Saudi Arabia condemned what it called Iranian aggression and warned of grave consequences.
Several countries in the region shut their airspace as global airlines suspended flights.