Rubio Confirms Drone Strike at US Consulate in Dubai, No Reported Injuries
By The Media Line Staff
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that a drone struck near the US consulate in Dubai, adding that all American personnel were accounted for and no injuries were reported.
Rubio’s confirmation followed a statement from local authorities that a drone-related incident sparked a fire near the diplomatic compound. “Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained,” the Dubai Media Office said in a post on X.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and extinguished the blaze, officials said.
Residents living near the area told AFP they heard a loud explosion. One witness said she saw flames close to the consulate shortly afterward. Police in plain clothes cleared bystanders from surrounding streets, which were sealed off as security forces secured the perimeter.
The incident comes as Dubai and other Gulf cities have faced repeated aerial attacks since Saturday, after escalating US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone launches across the region.
No further details were immediately released about the source of the drone or the extent of any damage to nearby buildings.
At an earlier stage of the fighting, Iranian drones were reported over several locations in the United Arab Emirates. Official statements and media accounts said fires and structural damage were recorded in parts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi late Saturday and early Sunday.
Video circulated on social media appeared to show flames near the Fairmont hotel on Palm Jumeirah, fire along the exterior of the Burj Al Arab, and smoke rising in the vicinity of the Burj Khalifa.
The Dubai Media Office said falling debris at Jebel Ali Port ignited a blaze. Authorities also reported damage at Dubai International Airport, where four employees were injured. According to reports, a drone struck Terminal 3, prompting an evacuation, and a separate strike early Sunday sent thick smoke into the sky above the city.
In Abu Dhabi, officials said Zayed International Airport was hit. One person was killed and four others were seriously wounded in the city as a result of the attacks.
Rubio Confirms Drone Strike at US Consulate in Dubai, No Reported Injuries
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