Fairmont Dubai Bombed, Burj Khalifa Evacuated as Iran Strikes UAE, Bahrain, and US Navy 5th Fleet Base Across the Gulf
Iran launched an unprecedented wave of missile and drone strikes across the Gulf on Saturday, February 28, 2026, targeting US military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in retaliation for a joint US-Israel attack on Iranian territory. Dubai, long considered a sanctuary from Middle Eastern conflict, found itself directly in the crosshairs for the first time in years.
Fairmont Palm Dubai Hit as Palm Jumeirah Erupts in Flames
The Fairmont Hotel in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah was struck during the third wave of Iran's offensive — dubbed Operation True Promise 4 — reportedly hit by debris from a missile intercepted by UAE air defences. The luxury five-star property caught fire, sending thick black smoke billowing across one of the world's most recognized skylines.
The Dubai Media Office confirmed an incident in the Palm Jumeirah area, stating that four individuals sustained injuries and were transferred to medical facilities, and that the fire was subsequently brought under control by civil defence teams. Videos circulating online showed the extent of the blaze at the Fairmont Palm Dubai, with witnesses describing a loud bang before the hotel ignited.
Burj Khalifa Evacuated as Dubai Hotel Attack Panic Spreads Through UAE
Emirati authorities evacuated the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, after explosions were reported across Dubai following Iranian missile strikes targeting the Gulf. Emergency teams cleared the 828-meter tower after sirens went off in parts of the city and residents reported multiple blasts.
Eyewitnesses told AFP they saw missiles streak across the Dubai skyline followed by a big explosion. One Dubai resident described the event as "a big explosion, and it made the windows shake." Another described the projectiles as "fireballs" followed by a trail of smoke in the sky. Al Maktoum International Airport also suspended flights indefinitely as the UAE braced for further waves of incoming threats.
US Naval Base Bahrain and US Navy 5th Fleet Headquarters Directly Targeted
Iranian missiles and drones struck the headquarters of US Naval Forces Central Command and residential buildings elsewhere in the island nation of Bahrain, as retaliatory attacks that began midday Saturday continued into early Sunday. The US naval base in Bahrain has housed the US Navy's 5th Fleet since the facility was originally operated by Britain's Royal Navy beginning in 1948.
The base also hosts the Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational coalition of 47 countries tasked with countering illegal drug and weapons smuggling in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Bahrain is one of the few accompanied postings in the region, with hundreds of spouses and family members living on the island. Off-base residential towers in Manama sustained direct hits, with the Era View tower in Hoora sustaining heavy damage from what officials described as a direct drone strike.
IRGC Strikes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Jordan
The Iranian government confirmed attacks on several targets, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, where airbases with US assets are hosted. Iran's IRGC claimed all Israeli and US military targets in the Middle East had been struck by Iranian missiles, warning the operation would "continue relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated."
In Qatar, dozens of people fled in panic as a falling missile plunged into a residential neighbourhood, erupting in a fireball as it hit the street. Explosions were also reported in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and in Kuwait, home to US Army Central. Kuwait's chief of staff confirmed that air defence systems engaged incoming missiles detected in the airspace. Jordan, which also maintains a US military presence, similarly confirmed missile intercepts.
UAE Condemns Iran Dubai Strikes, Warns of Right to Respond
The UAE's Ministry of Defense condemned Iran's strikes on its soil, warning that it was well within its right to respond if the attacks continued. Abu Dhabi faces particularly acute risk, as it houses the US Al Dhafra Airbase, one of the primary targets cited by Iran's IRGC in its campaign planning.
UAE state media said its air defences had intercepted several Iranian missiles, but one person was killed in Abu Dhabi. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE all temporarily closed their airspace and condemned Iran's attacks on their territories. The Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil export choke point connecting Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the UAE to the open ocean, was reported temporarily closed to sea traffic.
Khamenei Status Unclear as Trump Declares Regime Change Goal
US President Donald Trump described the Iranian regime as a group of "very hard, terrible people" that have threatened the United States, its troops overseas, and its allies around the world. Trump stated the strikes carry the goal of ensuring Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon, and acknowledged the campaign could result in the loss of American lives.
Trump characterised the US operation in Iran as a regime change effort. Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei's exact status remains unclear, with Israeli officials claiming he was killed in the strikes while Iran's state media insisted the leader was safe and sound. An emergency session of the UN Security Council was convened in New York on Saturday at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, China, and Russia, as world leaders scrambled to contain a rapidly widening regional war.
