Dubai media office says limited fire near US Consulate contained after drone strike

Authorities have contained a limited fire in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai due to a drone strike, Dubai’s media office said Tuesday. No injuries were reported.

In a statement carried by the Government of Dubai Media Office, officials said emergency teams responded immediately to the incident and successfully contained the blaze.

Smoke was seen rising from an area near the U.S. Consulate earlier, Reuters reported, according to two witnesses in the area.

Images shared on social media showed a plume of gray smoke billowing above low-rise buildings in the vicinity of the diplomatic mission.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.

Dubai, one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, is a major regional business and tourism hub and home to numerous foreign diplomatic missions. Security around diplomatic facilities in the Gulf region has remained tight amid broader regional tensions.

The United Arab Emirates said earlier that it was exposed to over 1,000 attacks since Iran launched retaliatory strikes in the region in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The UAE foreign ministry said it has not taken any decision to change its defensive stance towards Iran's attacks, but reserves the right to defend itself.

With Additional input from Reuters.