On Saturday, February 28, 2026, residents and visitors in Dubai were startled by explosions and loud bangs as tensions in the Middle East sharply escalated following Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US targets in the region. Following these attacks, several videos started to appear in the social media where the smoke and fire could be seen close to the entrance of the five star hotel on the iconic Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai known as Fairmont The Palm. These videos showed columns of black smoke that were emerging above the complex of luxury hotels, which triggered a great number of anxieties and fears in the audience not only within the UAE but also in other countries.
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Dubai officials confirmed that there was an incident in a building in the Palm Jumeirah, and emergency response teams were called to the place. As per the official reports given in the article, the Dubai Civil Defence managed to put the ensuing fire under control, and four individuals were reported to have suffered injuries and taken to healthcare centers.
Fairmont Dubai Palm on fire. Heard loud explosion, stay safe pic.twitter.com/HLo8oS6dSc
— Alex | The Modern Freelancer (@alex_tfmg) February 28, 2026
Although there were dramatic shots and the location was close to the Fairmont property, we could not understand whether the hotel was struck directly by a missile. Authorities were not categorical in claiming that the fire could be due to a direct hit by Iranian weapons and the hotel had not given its own confirmation that the damage had been done at the time of the reporting.
Did Missiles From Iran Strike Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah? Videos Show Fire And Smoke Near The Fairmont Hotel — Watch
Eyewitness and media reports in other outlets indicated that the missile debris or fragments (which were probably missiles that had been intercepted by the UAE air defenses) landed in the hotel location and sparked the fire. There were some people who narrated the shockwaves and aftermath in real time and reported that the streets and other places were quieter than normal as people remained at home due to the uncertainty. Airspace was also temporarily shut by regional authorities over some of the UAE and other Gulf countries as a precaution, whilst the situation in the country at large unfolded and caused the suspension of flights at major airports in Dubai.
