Drone falls near Dubai financial district after Iran threats

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A drone fell near Dubai’s financial district on Thursday, an AFP journalist saw, a day after some companies evacuated the area following threats from Iran against economic targets linked to the U.S. and Israel.

On Wednesday, U.S. banking giant Citi, consultancies Deloitte and PwC, as well as other firms, closed their offices or told employees to leave, mainly in Dubai’s financial district, sources told AFP.

It followed threats from Tehran in the wake of a reported U.S.-Israeli attack on a bank in Iran.

In a later update, Deloitte said it remained fully operational in the Middle East. “As part of established business continuity and flexible hybrid work practices, teams continue to operate across offices, client sites, and remote working arrangements as appropriate,” the firm said in a statement.

Dubai is a major financial hub in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates has borne the brunt of Iran’s attacks against its Gulf neighbors since the war erupted on February 28.

Authorities in the city said a drone attack in the Al Bada’a area caused falling debris to hit the facade of a building on Sheikh Zayed Road — a key thoroughfare that runs close to Dubai’s International Financial Center.

An AFP journalist saw the wreckage of a fallen drone near a building in the area.

Another correspondent heard explosions and saw clouds of smoke rise above Al Bada’a, which dissipated shortly after.

The Dubai government’s Media Office said in statements on X that there were no casualties.

Iran has taken aim at U.S. assets but also civilian infrastructure including airports and ports around the Gulf in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli attacks that decimated its leadership.

Further north in Kuwait, drone strikes caused damage at the international airport, civil aviation authorities said, but there were no casualties.

The facility has come under fire several times since Iran began its bombing campaign.

The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran’s attacks since the Middle East war began, with 24 people killed in the region including seven U.S. service members and 11 civilians.

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