Massive Drone and Missile Attack Targets Western Nationals in Dubai: Urgent Security Alert

Iran has unleashed a barrage of missiles and suicide drones targeting Dubai, while explosions have also been reported in the capital of Saudi Arabia. This escalation follows the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, intensifying its military campaign across the Middle East.

Tehran has broadened its offensive, declaring it as the ‘most intense operation in history.’ This move comes amid stern warnings from Israel and the United States to de-escalate, with missiles even hitting the capital of Iran today.

The retaliatory strikes were initiated after Iran confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed alongside four family members and at least two senior military officials in a joint operation by the US and Israel.

Meanwhile, further explosions were heard in Dubai earlier this morning, and residents in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, reported hearing multiple loud detonations in recent hours.

• Israel and the USA launched joint airstrikes on targets in Iran 
• Iran confirmed the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
• Trump and Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise up and overthrow the government
• Iran launched retaliatory strikes at states across the Middle East, going after US military bases and other targets
• Trump warned the US would respond powerfully to further bombardment and that the operation could last weeks
• Iranian missiles and suicide drones continue batter the Middle East for a second day, with more states targeted

Further blasts echoed around Dubai this morning and, in the last few hours, residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, also reported hearing several loud bangs.

Explosions have been heard for a second day in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, and in Oman for the first time, though most missiles and drones have been downed by air defences.

Iran also launched two missiles towards British military bases in Cyprus, UK Defence Secretary John Healey revealed this morning, where they ‘narrowly missed’ their targets.

Mr Healey warned that Iranian missile commanders are ‘increasingly allowed to choose their own targets’ as Tehran loses its ‘command and control’.

Smoke rises from Dubai International Airport this morning as Emirates planes remain grounded

Dramatic footage showed showed an interception near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building

Iran claimed to have struck 27 US bases in the region, but has also hit a range of other sites including residential tower blocks and luxury hotels.

Yesterday in Dubai, Iranian suicide drones hit landmark hotel the Palm Jumeirah, as well as the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, sparking panic among tourists.

Dramatic footage showed a fireball in the sky near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as a weapon was intercepted. 

The Dubai Media Office confirmed that debris from drones intercepted by air defences had fallen onto two homes in the city, injuring two people, and also caused a fire at the major Jebel Ali port.

Further videos overnight showed panic in a smoke-filled, debris-strewn terminal at Dubai Airport, which has been evacuated after four members of staff were injured.

A post on X read: ‘Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained.’

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that, as of late last night, 137 ballistic missiles had been launched by Iran towards the Emirates, of which 132 had been destroyed by air defences and five fell into the Persian Gulf.

It said it had also been targeted by 209 suicide drones, of which 195 were intercepted and 14 got through – with some making contact.

Dubai’s iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab was ablaze following Iranian attacks

The Palm Jumeirah hotel in Dubai was also engulfed in flames

The Crowne Plaza Manama in Bahrain smolders after suffering an Iranian attack

A group of missiles sailing over Dubai overnight – some of the more than 100 launched by Iran at the state

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Bahrain was smoldering this morning, with its owners reporting it had suffered an ‘incident’ but that all guests and staff were safe.

Bahrain’s air defenses responded overnight to ‘hostile Iranian missile attacks’, intercepting at least 45 missiles and nine drones, state media reported this morning.

An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Musandam in Oman, according to the country’s maritime security center, injuring four people and forcing the entire 20-strong crew to evacuate.

One person was killed and seven injured in an attack on Abu Dhabi’s Zayed airport.

The airspace over the Middle East remains almost completely empty, with most of the airports closed to all traffic. Around 20,000 flights have so far been delayed or cancelled.

One woman has been killed and scores injured in Tel Aviv, Israel, where a missile struck a residential block last night and attacks have continued this morning.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has warned Britons in several Middle East countries to ‘immediately shelter in place’ and to avoid travel to Israel and Palestine.

‘Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,’ it advised, adding it was ‘working around the clock’ to support British nationals affected.

This morning’s continued bombardment around the Middle East comes as Iran confirmed the death of the Ayatollah after hours of denial, even after Donald Trump announced he was gone.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in the airstrike after Israeli jets dropped 30 bombs on the Supreme Leader’s compound. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump were reportedly shown an image of Khamenei’s body after it was recovered from his compound. 

His death comes after nearly 37 years as the Islamic Republic’s leader – sending the regime into meltdown and destabilizing the Gulf.

Smoke rises from Tehran after Israel announced it had struck the ‘heart’ of the city

A fireball explosion erupts from a building in Manama, Bahrain, after an Iranian drone attack

As well as Khamenei’s four family members, two high-level military leaders – Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour – were also obliterated in the strikes on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Israel announced it had carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Iran and struck the ‘heart’ of the capital.

A statement from the IDF said: ‘For the first time since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion”, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] is striking targets that belong to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran.

‘Over the past day, the Israeli Air force conducted large-scale strikes in order to establish aerial superiority and to pave the path to Tehran.’

This morning, Trump promised to strike Iran ‘with a force that has never been seen before,’ after boasts from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) about the number of American air bases attacked.

The president posed on Truth Social: ‘Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!’

A number of celebrities and influencers have been caught up in the violence, including Luisa Zissman, Petra Ecclestone and Love Island star Arabella Chi.

Branding it the ‘scariest, worst nights of our lives’, many spoke of how scared they were hearing the constant bangs overhead, while sheltering in their homes as the strikes rage on across the UAE. 

Israeli socialite Hofit Golan posted footage from her hotel balcony of rockets and explosions hitting the famous Palm Jumeirah hotel after she arrived in Dubai just hours earlier.

She wrote on Instagram: ‘After being debriefed from my flights as the skies closed above us. I came home to see the Palm filling up with smoke!

‘I can see rockets and explosions from my balcony! reports of other explosions being heard all over the city. Please stay safe, everyone,’ she urged.

Vicky Pattison shared that her and husband Ercan Ramadan are ‘safe and trying to stay calm’ amid the airstrikes.

The pair touched down in Dubai this week after flying on a lavish first class Emirates flight and just hours after sunbathing at the beach, the pair were forced to safety.

Iranian state media announced there would be a 40-day mourning period after Khamenei’s death, as the regime scrambles to kickstart the process of finding a new leader. 

This morning, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that Donald Trump has crossed a ‘very dangerous red line’.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told CNN: ‘Of course, from a religious aspect, he was a great religious leader, so many of Shiite followers across the region and around the world are going to react to that, and this is very obvious because President Trump passed a very dangerous red line.’

During the official announcement of Khamenei’s death on an Iranian state news broadcast, the anchor wore black and stifled tears during the reading of a statement from the National Supreme Council.

‘God is great. God is great. With deep sorrow, it is announced to the nation of Iran that Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred today in a joint criminal attack by the United States and the Zionist regime,’ the anchor said in a clip posted on social media.

The Council described Khamenei as a revered religious Islamic figure, and said his ‘long dream of martyrdom became true.’ It was noted that Khamenei was killed during the month of Ramadan.

According to the statement, Iranians were mourning the leader’s death, and enemies of the country should note that ‘martyrdom will spark a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors’.

However, there have also been Iranians taking to the streets to rejoice the decapitation of the regime that has for decades ruled over them with an iron fist.

It has been deeply unpopular among some for the way it has enforced strict religious law, clamped down violently on dissent, and made Iran a pariah on the world stage.

Iranian media yesterday reported that more than 100 girls had been killed at a primary school near a military base by the US-Israeli strikes.