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By Lawrence Agbo
An Iranian Shahed drone struck the United States Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday, setting part of the diplomatic compound ablaze and sending thick smoke into the sky, as Tehran widened its retaliatory campaign to directly target American facilities in the Gulf.
A regional source said the drone impact triggered a fire inside the compound.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported smoke billowing from the site, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the strike. There was no immediate confirmation of casualties.
Videos circulating on social media showed flames engulfing what appeared to be an entrance building within the consulate grounds. The extent of structural damage or casualties is not confirmed at the time of this report.
The attack marks a significant escalation in Iran’s offensive against US diplomatic and military assets in the Middle East.
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It came shortly after two drones targeted the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing minor damage and a limited fire, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry.
The US Embassy in Kuwait also announced it would close indefinitely amid rising regional tensions.
The IRGC further claimed that its naval forces launched a large-scale drone and missile operation at dawn against a US air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain, alleging that the installation’s main command headquarters was destroyed. No independent verification of that claim was immediately available.
In response to the wave of attacks, Washington moved to reduce its diplomatic footprint across the region. The US State Department ordered non-emergency personnel to depart from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq.
Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, urged Americans to “depart now” from several countries, including Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen and Jordan.
