Explosions Heard in Dubai Amid Rising US-Iran Tensions and Threats to Strategic Red Sea Routes

On Thursday evening, loud explosions were reported in central Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Reuters. The cause of the blasts remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate. Reports indicate that Iran has instructed the Houthi rebels in Yemen to prepare for a possible closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical oil shipping route in the Red Sea, if the US attacks Iranian energy infrastructure. This directive was discussed at the highest levels in Tehran and recently conveyed to the Houthis.

A source close to the Houthis stated that the group has completed preparations to attack ships near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait using missiles and drones. Forces have been deployed in Yemeni areas overlooking Al Hudaydah and the Gulf of Aden, awaiting a final green light from Iranian Revolutionary Guards representatives present in Yemen.

The potential blockade of Bab al-Mandeb, combined with the already active closure of the Strait of Hormuz, could severely disrupt two of the Middle East's main oil export routes, worsening the global energy crisis.

Following another night of exchanges between the US and Iran, an Iranian military spokesperson issued a stern warning, threatening expanded Iranian retaliation if US attacks continue. He emphasized that any US strike on Iranian infrastructure would provoke a "destructive and disproportionate military response," described as a "supreme blow." He also declared that any American attempt to interfere with the Strait of Hormuz is a "red line" Iran will not tolerate.

In the early hours, the US military completed a third round of strikes in 24 hours targeting Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal monitoring facilities. The US Central Command stated these attacks aimed to diminish Iran's ability to threaten commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have struck radar systems at the Ali Al-Salam base in Kuwait. The Iranian military also reported attacks on US communication systems and fuel tanks in Jordan, releasing footage of drone launches. Jordanian forces announced they intercepted eight Iranian missiles.