Explosions rock central Dubai as Iran continues to target the Middle East financial hub

Explosions rocked parts of Dubai on Friday, rattling buildings in the Middle East financial hub and sending a plume of black smoke rising over a central district, according to AFP correspondents.

An AFP correspondent described hearing a powerful double blast that shook nearby buildings and left a large cloud of smoke lingering over the area.

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Dubai’s government media office later confirmed that a building in central Dubai had been struck by debris from an intercepted attack.

“Authorities confirmed that debris from a successful interception caused a minor incident on the facade of a building in central Dubai,” the media office posted on X, adding that no injuries were reported.

According to the authorities, the United Arab Emirates’ air defence systems have intercepted more than 1,500 Iranian drones and nearly 300 missiles since the outbreak of the Middle East war.

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The latest incident comes a day after a drone fell near Dubai’s financial district on Thursday. The episode followed Iranian threats to target economic institutions, prompting some companies in the area to evacuate staff as a precaution.

The oil-rich UAE and other Gulf states have faced sustained Iranian attacks since the conflict began on February 28.

During the war, several high-profile locations in Dubai have reportedly been targeted, including Dubai International Airport — one of the busiest airports in the world — as well as the city’s port and luxury developments such as the Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab hotel.