Drone strike ignites fire at US Consulate parking in Dubai
A suspected Iranian drone strike targeted a parking lot adjacent to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday evening, sparking a significant blaze in a densely populated district.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the incident shortly before addressing the media. He stated that the strike occurred in an area neighboring the diplomatic compound, though no casualties were reported.
Personnel safety and evacuation
All consulate personnel remain unharmed and accounted for. Rubio noted that the State Department had proactively begun withdrawing staff from regional diplomatic facilities prior to the attack.
"Our diplomatic facilities are under direct assault by a terrorist regime," Rubio emphasized, referring to the ongoing wave of retaliatory strikes in the Gulf.
Emergency response and regional context
The Dubai Media Office confirmed via X that emergency teams successfully extinguished the fire. Local residents reported hearing a powerful explosion followed by visible flames near the British and Saudi diplomatic missions.
Police established a security perimeter shortly after the impact. The strike is part of a broader escalation of Iranian attacks in the region following recent U.S. and Israeli military operations.
The U.S. Consulate is located in a high-traffic area of the city. While the fire was contained to the parking structure, the event marks a significant breach of diplomatic security in the Emirates.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
