Luxury Dubai hotel hit as Iran launches retaliatory strikes across region
A luxury hotel in Dubai has been hit amid a wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes across the Middle East, launched in retaliation for what Tehran described as a “massive” and ongoing US-Israeli attack on its territory.
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Video verified by the BBC showed a fire tearing through the Fairmont The Palm on Saturday, with thick black smoke rising above the Palm Jumeirah waterfront in the Dubai.
Local officials said four people were injured in a blaze at a building in the Palm Jumeirah area but provided no further details. It was not immediately clear whether the hotel was directly struck or damaged by falling debris from an intercepted missile or drone.
In the early hours of Sunday, the Dubai Media Office said four people were also wounded in an “incident” at Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest transport hubs. The airport’s concourse sustained “minor damage”, officials said, without elaborating.
Missiles intercepted across Gulf states
Elsewhere in the region, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait — all of which host US military facilities — said they had intercepted missiles fired towards them.
Huge plumes of black smoke were seen rising near the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain. The base, officially known as Naval Support Activity Bahrain, serves as a key logistical and operational hub for US naval forces in the Gulf.
Authorities in Bahrain confirmed the area had been targeted. Video from Manama showed a drone striking a tower block, erupting into a bright yellow fireball on impact.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior later said three buildings in Manama and Muharraq were hit by “drone attacks and falling debris from an intercepted missile”. Fires at one building had been brought under control, while damage assessments were under way at the other two sites.
The United States has not yet publicly commented on the reported strike near its naval facility.
Al Udeid base targeted in Qatar
In Doha, Qatar’s defence ministry said it had intercepted several missiles apparently targeting Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military base in the region.
Explosions were seen in the sky above the capital, and footage circulating online showed residents running from a falling projectile in a residential area.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as the “targeting of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles”, calling it “a flagrant violation of its national sovereignty” and an “unacceptable escalation”.
The US maintains around 13 military bases across the Middle East, with between 30,000 and 40,000 troops typically deployed across the region.
Kuwait and Iraq incidents
In Kuwait, the state news agency Kuna reported that a drone targeting the international airport caused “minor injuries to several employees” and “limited” damage to a terminal building.
Explosions were also heard in parts of the country, though officials said air defences had intercepted incoming threats.
In Iraq, US air defences shot down a drone over a military base near Erbil, according to Reuters.
Iran claims responsibility
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that it was targeting US bases and assets as part of “Operation Truthful Promise 4”, describing the strikes as retaliation for attacks launched earlier on Saturday by the United States and Israel.
That earlier offensive, which began at approximately 09:30 Tehran time (06:00 GMT), reportedly targeted sites linked to Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump has publicly backed the strikes on Iran and has urged the Iranian people to rise up against the country’s leadership.
As missile interceptions and airspace alerts continued into Sunday, authorities across the Gulf remained on high alert amid fears of further escalation in what is rapidly becoming one of the most direct regional confrontations in years.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 28 Feb 2026