Fire near U.S. consulate in Dubai after drone attack: govt statement

A drone attack caused a fire near the U.S. consulate in Dubai on Tuesday (March 3, 2026), a government statement said, after the U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by an Iranian strike.

Nearby residents told AFP they heard a loud bang, and one person said she then saw a fire at the consulate.

Dubai and other Gulf cities have been under bombardment since Saturday (February 28, 2026) in a retaliatory attack from Iran after it was attacked by a joint operation by Israel and U.S. on Saturday (February 28, 2026).

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

Streets around the area were cordoned off, while police in plain clothes shooed away onlookers trying to see the consulate.

Earlier, loud jet sounds could be heard over Dubai, the West Asia commercial hub.

Rubio on fire in U.S. consulate in Dubai

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the drone strike adjacent to the U.S. consulate in Dubai and said all personnel were safe.

“A drone unfortunately struck a parking lot adjacent to the chancellery building and then set off a fire in that place. All personnel are accounted for,” Mr. Rubio told reporters in Washington.

The attack came after two drones sparked a small fire at the U.S. embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh in the early hours of Tuesday (March 3, 2026) the Saudi Defence Ministry said.

The U.S. embassy in Kuwait City was struck by drones on Monday (March 2, 2026), three diplomatic sources told AFP.

An AFP correspondent saw smoke pouring out of the building.