Booms heard in downtown Dubai, witnesses say

Witnesses told Reuters they heard blasts in downtown Dubai, but the emirate's media office called the reports 'false.' The claims came amid Iranian strikes on US assets in the Gulf and regional military escalation.

Dubai, UAE – July 16, 2026: Witnesses reported hearing explosions in downtown Dubai on Thursday, according to Reuters, though the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) swiftly dismissed the accounts as 'false.'

The reports surfaced as the United States continued airstrikes against Iranian military targets and Iran launched retaliatory attacks on several Gulf states hosting American troops. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also posted claims on social media that explosions shook Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, a statement amplified by official Iranian state broadcasters.

The GDMO, in a brief statement, urged the public and media organizations to rely only on official sources for accurate information and to avoid spreading rumors or unverified reports. The office did not offer an alternative explanation for what witnesses may have heard.

Dubai, the UAE's commercial and tourism hub, has not been directly targeted in the current conflict, though the country hosts US military facilities, including Al Dhafra Air Base, located approximately 32 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that US missiles struck areas near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, with no injuries or damage reported. The IRGC also claimed to have launched suicide drones towards US radar and Patriot defense systems at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, and that Iranian air defenses shot down a US MQ-9A Reaper drone over Khuzestan Province. The US military has not confirmed these claims.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage of an F-35A fighter jet conducting patrols over the Middle East, without specifying whether it was involved in operations against Iran.

As of Thursday evening, local authorities in Dubai had not reported any incidents, and normal activity appeared to continue across the city.