On February 28, 2026, Dubai’s glitzy Palm Jumeirah—usually a playground for the world’s elite—was rocked by a sudden and alarming incident. A fire broke out near the entrance of the iconic Fairmont The Palm hotel, sending thick plumes of smoke swirling above the waterfront skyline. The cause? Debris reportedly fell from the sky during an Iranian missile attack, part of a dramatic escalation in hostilities sweeping across the Middle East.
According to multiple reports, including The Independent and Hindustan Times, the fire ignited just as explosions echoed across Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, and Qatar. These blasts came after Iran launched a wave of missiles and drones targeting US and Israeli military installations in retaliation for coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian soil the night before. As the conflict unfolded, viral videos surfaced online showing flames and smoke billowing near Fairmont The Palm, raising immediate concerns for the safety of residents and tourists alike.
The Dubai Media Office confirmed, “An incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and the site has been secured. Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control.” Four individuals sustained injuries and were transferred to medical facilities, but, remarkably, no fatalities were reported. Officials emphasized that the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remained their highest priority.
But what exactly happened? The precise cause of the fire remains shrouded in uncertainty. UAE authorities and the hotel itself have not confirmed whether the Fairmont was directly hit by a missile or if the blaze was sparked by falling debris from an intercepted projectile. According to The Economic Times, “It remains unclear whether the hotel was directly hit or if debris from an intercepted missile caused the fire; UAE authorities and the hotel have not confirmed any missile strike or structural damage.” The ambiguity has only fueled speculation and anxiety among locals and travelers, as emergency sirens and the sight of ambulances racing toward the scene painted a starkly different picture from Dubai’s usual calm.
As the flames were brought under control, the incident quickly became a focal point in a much larger drama. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that Iranian ballistic missiles had targeted the country, but that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several of them “with high efficiency.” The Ministry called the strikes “a blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law,” and asserted, “The UAE reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to protect its territories and citizens.”
Residents across Dubai described seeing missiles streaking through the night sky, with some reporting loud thuds that rattled windows in high-rise buildings—even as far as the Burj Khalifa. One resident told AFP, “It was a rumble and then a bang.” The chaos was not limited to Dubai; Abu Dhabi also reported casualties, including one person killed by falling debris, and sirens sounded across Israel, with citizens urged to take shelter.
The broader regional context was equally dire. Iranian state media reported dozens of deaths in Iran due to the US-Israeli strikes, including at least 53 killed at a girls’ school and 15 in a sports hall in Fars province. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi wrote to the UN Security Council, declaring, “Iran will continue to exercise its right of self-defense decisively and without hesitation until the aggression ceases fully and unequivocally.” President Donald Trump confirmed a major combat operation against Iran in an eight-minute speech, vowing, “It’s been mass terror, and we’re not going to take it any longer.”
As the threat of further escalation loomed, both Iran and Israel closed their airspace. The UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain followed suit, with the General Civil Aviation Authority describing the move as a precaution to protect flights and national security. According to aviation data provider Cirium and Flightradar24, airlines cancelled about half of their flights to Qatar and Israel and about 28% to Kuwait, amounting to roughly 24% of all flights to the Middle East being grounded. Major transit hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi saw a full suspension of flights on February 28, leaving thousands of travelers stranded or scrambling for alternatives.
Emirates, the flagship carrier of Dubai, grounded all flights from the city and advised passengers to monitor updates. Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Flydubai, Gulf Air, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Norwegian, and Air India all suspended or cancelled flights to and from Middle Eastern destinations, with some extending suspensions into early March. Passengers were offered refunds and flexible rebooking options, but many faced delays of 30 to 90 minutes as flights rerouted around the Tehran Flight Information Region.
Airport authorities in Chennai and elsewhere issued urgent advisories, urging travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. At least 12 international flights scheduled for later Saturday and Sunday were cancelled, including services to Dubai, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi. The situation was so fluid that even connecting flights through Dubai or Riyadh were subject to last-minute changes.
In the midst of all this, officials in Dubai and across the UAE pleaded with the public to rely only on official updates and to avoid spreading unverified information on social media. Security teams continued to monitor the situation closely, and the Dubai Civil Defence made it clear that their swift response had prevented the fire from spreading to neighboring structures on Palm Jumeirah.
As of Saturday evening, the Fairmont The Palm had not released an official statement regarding the extent of any damage. The lack of confirmation only added to the uncertainty, with residents and guests left to wonder whether the hotel itself had been directly affected or spared by a stroke of luck—and the effectiveness of UAE’s missile defense systems.
This incident, while alarming in its own right, underscores the fragility of peace in a region where tensions can flare with little warning. The events of February 28, 2026, will be remembered not just for the fire at a famous hotel, but as a stark reminder of how quickly conflict can ripple outward, affecting ordinary lives, travel, and the sense of security in even the most cosmopolitan of cities.
With emergency crews still on alert and the region’s skies quieter than usual, Dubai’s residents and visitors are left hoping that calm—and clarity—will soon return to the Palm.