Western tourists fled for safety in Dubai on Saturday after Iranian missiles and drones struck the United Arab Emirates (UAE), hours after United States (US) and Israeli forces carried out air raids on Iranian cities.
The Dubai media office confirmed four people were injured when a Shahed drone hit the Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel, setting part of the building ablaze with ambulances later dispatched to the scene.
Footage showed the missile cutting through the air before striking the hotel’s exterior. The Fairmont, located on Dubai’s man-made Palm island, is a popular destination for international visitors.
The attack followed strikes by the US and Israel on several Iranian cities, including Tehran, where explosions were reported near the offices of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israeli media said there were indications he may have been injured or killed.
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Iran has since launched missiles across the region, with reports of strikes in Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Witnesses in Dubai described scenes of panic. British tourist Will Bailey, who was at the hotel pool, said: “That was metres away from us. Look at this. That is the Fairmont hotel in Dubai.”
Another resident, Samantha Dicomo, 50, said the blast at Al-Dhafra air base shook her home. “The explosion was so powerful it made the walls tremble,” she told newsmen.
Short video clips shared online showed missiles being intercepted above the city, leaving plumes of smoke in the sky as tourists looked on.
The attacks have heightened fears of a wider conflict spreading across the Gulf.