Dubai gov't says explosions heard in city are 'false,' despite witness reports

On Thursday, the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) denied reports of explosions in downtown Dubai, calling them "false" and urging reliance on official sources. This denial followed a Reuters report, later withdrawn, and claims by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of explosions in Abu Dhabi. Concurrently, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency reported US missile strikes near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, with no Iranian injuries. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed a fifth consecutive night of strikes on Iran. Iran also claimed to have launched "Arash" suicide drones against US bases in Bahrain and shot down a US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper drone over Khuzestan Province, a claim uncorroborated by the US military. Kuwait's Defense Minister stated that 32 Iranian drones were intercepted in Kuwaiti airspace, causing material damage from falling debris. An Iranian military spokesperson warned Middle Eastern countries hosting US bases, stating, "Security imported from the US will not last for countries in the region." Later, Iran reported US attacks on Iranshahr airport and the Kehvarstan bridge in Bandar Khamir, injuring two, while denying explosions in Zahedan.