The Burj Al Arab, hailed as Dubai’s most-iconic hotel, was in flames after being hit by an Iranian drone strike in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 60-storey five-star hotel, which stands on an artificial island close to Jumeirah Beach, was one of several buildings hit in the retaliatory attacks on the United Arab Emirates this weekend after the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran.
The iconic sail-shaped structure, which is the sixth-tallest hotel in the world at 321 metres high, was on fire after it was hit by fragments from an Iranian drone which had been intercepted.
A statement from Dubai’s Media Office read: ‘The competent authorities in Dubai announced that a drone was intercepted, and its fragments caused a small fire on the exterior facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel. Civil defense teams were able to control the incident without any injuries.’
Four people have also been been injured after Dubai International Airport was damaged by an Iranian attack in the early hours of Sunday.
UK flights to the Middle East had already been cancelled, while airports in Dubai and Doha have halted all services until further notice.
On Saturday, the UK Foreign Office warned Brits in Dubai that they should ‘immediately shelter in place’.
Earlier on Saturday, the Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai’s prestige Palm Jumeirah area was also hit.
Footage of the incident showed the five-star £245 million hotel engulfed in flames as air defence systems intercepted several Iranian missiles bound for targets in the UAE.
Why has Dubai been attacked by Iran?
Iran has responded to the initial attack from the United States and Israel by launching missiles and drones towards Israel and four Gulf Arab countries which host US military bases – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The damaged was caused by falling shrapnel from an struck down airstrike.
Iranian suicide drones were also spotted slamming into a Bahrain tower block, with footage showing the high-rise building ablaze.
UK Foreign Office travel advice for Brits in the United Arab Emirates
Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in UAE should immediately shelter in place.
Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.
The Palm Jumeirah resort was opened on Dubai’s iconic palm-shaped artificial archipelago in 2012 and boasts almost 400 rooms on 14 storeys.
Emergency services were pictured on the scene where at least four people have been reported injured.
Elsewhere in Dubai, visitors at swimming pools filmed air defence systems shooting down suspected Iranian missiles.
A clip shared on social media showed the moment an airstrike was intercepted over the Jumeirah Golf Estates south of Dubai’s city centre.
The resort is located near the Dubai Sport’s City and the Trump International Golf Club.
Several other holidaymakers reported hearing loud bangs in the city.
Leah Mai, a British influencer staying in the Emirati hotspot, wrote on X: ‘Every so often you get reminded that ur really in the middle of a war zone.’
Earlier today, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country’s airspace had been temporarily closed in light on the regional escalation until further notice.
On Saturday US forces began ‘major combat operations’ with the aim of destroying Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities.
Donald Trump has also claimed that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed from the US-Israel strikes in Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: ‘Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead.
‘This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.’
Iran responded with airstrikes targeting sites in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Iraq and Israel.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.