US consulate in Dubai targeted as explosions rock Tehran

A fire, sparked by a drone attack at Dubai's US consulate in the UAE, has now been contained as Iran intensifies its attacks on US diplomatic missions and key infrastructure in the Gulf.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the drone strike in Dubai and said all staff were safe, telling reporters the drone struck a parking lot that was adjacent to the chancellery building. Residents heard a bang as the projectile hit its target, while police cordoned off roads and kept onlookers at bay.

"Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained," Dubai Media Office posted on X.

Although the UAE have been attacked over 1,000 times by Iran, according to the state, Abu Dhabi said it has no plans to retaliate.

A fire also erupted at the oil trading hub of the northern emirate of Fujairah from an intercepted drone, with its media office reporting it was working to control the blaze.

Following the US and Israel's attack on Iran on 28 February, which has entered its fifth day, Tehran has ramped up retaliatory strikes on US military installations, as well as civilian infrastructure such as oil facilities, ports and airports in the Gulf. 

The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones on Tuesday, sparking a small fire, a day after its diplomatic mission in Kuwait was targeted.

An 11-year-old girl was killed in Kuwait after being hit by falling shrapnel, succumbing to her injuries, as the military said it detected and was working to intercept inbound missiles and drones.

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said two cruise missiles were intercepted over Riyadh, which is also home to the sprawling Prince Sultan Air Base, and several drones were destroyed after entering its airspace.

The Gulf state also announced that Aramco's largest domestic refinery and a key crude export terminal were targeted again by an unknown projectile, two days after a source said a drone attack on the complex shut the refinery.

Qatar authorities announced on Tuesday evening it had dismantled two spy cells linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, its official press agency reported.

Air sirens sounded in the morning across the island kingdom of Bahrain, where the US Navy's 5th Fleet lies.

Qatar's ministry of defence said Iran launched two ballistic missiles against it, one hitting Al-Udeid Qatari Base, but did not cause casualties. It is still unknown what damage has been done to the facility.

The US has been scrambling to evacuate its citizens from the Gulf, with the US State Department giving non-emergency personnel and their families in Saudi Arabia and Oman permission to leave "due to safety risks".

While Washington also said it had arranged charter flights to help Americans leave the Middle East, including from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

At the same time, the first set of British citizens has returned from the Gulf after being evacuated, as thousands remain stranded amid war. The first flight was from Dubai, then Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi.

Explosions were heard in Tehran on Wednesday morning as Israel and the US continue their war on Iran, labelled operation "Epic Fury". The US launched a "broad wave" of strikes, targeting Iranian missile sites and air defence systems, with its military announcing it has hit nearly 2,000 targets since launching attacks on Saturday.

The US military announced it had destroyed 17 Iranian ships as the US Central Command's commander, Adm. Brad Cooper, said: "In simple terms, we're focused on shooting all the things that can shoot at us."

Israel announced it had hit "security headquarters" in the capital, while its military also said its air defences had been activated to intercept Iranian missiles.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Iran has faced at least 104 attacks in the past 24 hours alone, targeting military bases, medical centres and residential areas.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have also claimed it has "complete control" of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for the world's oil and gas supplies, and any vessels seeking to pass the waterway risked damage from missiles or stray drones.

This comes as the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint operation by Israel and the US, was postponed "in anticipation of unprecedented turnout". The ceremony was meant to take place on Wednesday at Tehran's Imam Khomeini prayer ground.

While Tehran says they are close to choosing a new Supreme Leader, with Khamenei's son seen to succeed his father, Israel vowed that whoever is chosen would be "a target for elimination".

"Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people – will be a target for elimination," Israeli Minister Israel Katz said on X.

Since the US and Israel launched their attack, at least 1,045 people have been killed, according to the Iranian government agency, while 1,097 civilians have been reported by the HRANA.