Dubai Skyscraper Hit by Drone Strike as Iran Attacks Iraqi Oil Tankers
A massive fire broke out at a high-rise building near Dubai Creek Harbour in the early hours of Thursday after it was struck by an Iranian drone. The Dubai Media Office confirmed that the building was successfully evacuated and that all residents are safe, though the strike caused significant structural damage and sent plumes of black smoke over the city’s skyline. This latest incident follows a separate drone attack on Wednesday near Dubai International Airport (DXB), which injured four people and briefly disrupted operations at one of the world's busiest aviation hubs.
The regional conflict intensified further as Iranian forces targeted commercial shipping in Iraqi territorial waters. Farhan Al-Fartousi, head of Iraq’s General Company for Ports, reported that two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were set ablaze by explosive-laden boats. One foreign crew member was killed in the attack, while 38 others were successfully rescued by Iraqi port security. Search operations remain underway for several individuals still reported missing following the explosions, which have led to a complete halt in operations at major Iraqi oil ports.
The aerial and maritime strikes are part of a broader wave of Iranian retaliatory actions following joint US-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei earlier this month. While the UAE's air defense systems have intercepted hundreds of missiles and drones over the past week, several have successfully penetrated the "safe-haven" of Dubai, striking prominent landmarks like the Palm Jumeirah and areas near the Burj Al Arab. Iran has now declared all ships belonging to the US, Israel, or their allies as "legitimate targets," effectively choking trade routes through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In Washington, President Donald Trump has issued a series of mixed messages regarding the trajectory of the war, which is now entering its third week. Despite claiming that the US has "practically won" and that there are "no targets left" inside Iran, Trump insisted on Wednesday that "we’re not finished yet" and promised "more of the same" intensity. As global oil prices spike and domestic political pressure mounts, the administration maintains that its objectives—eliminating Tehran’s ballistic missile program and preventing nuclear development—will be met "very, very quickly."
