WATCH: Drone debris hits Dubai’s 23 Marina tower after aerial interception, smoke rises in plumes

Debris from an intercepted aerial projectile struck the 23 Marina tower, a 90-storey skyscraper in Dubai, on Saturday, sending smoke rising from the building.

Published on: Mar 8, 2026, 10:01:17 IST

Written by Yamini C S

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Debris from an intercepted aerial projectile struck the facade of the 23 Marina Tower in Dubai on Saturday, sending smoke rising from the area and briefly alarming residents in the high-rise district. The 90-storey residential skyscraper is among the tallest buildings in Dubai’s Marina skyline.

Videos circulating on social media sites showed smoke rising out of the tower in Dubai, distressing residents. (X)

Several videos emerged online and made rounds on social media, showing smoke surrounding the top of the building.

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The Dubai Media Office confirmed the incident on social media site X, saying that a minor incident on the facade of a tower in Dubai Marina was caused by debris from a successful aerial interception. It also added that the situation has been contained and no injuries were reported in the tower, which sits in a neighbourhood known for its luxury high-rise buildings.

“Authorities confirm that debris resulting from a successful interception caused a minor incident on the façade of a tower in Dubai Marina. The situation has been contained. No injuries were reported," the X post stated.

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The incident came as sirens sounded across parts of the United Arab Emirates amid reports of intercepted projectiles believed to have been launched from Iran. According to the Dubai Media Office, debris from the interception also fell in the Al Barsha area, where a driver, believed to be Pakistani, was killed after shrapnel struck a vehicle.

“Authorities confirm that debris from an aerial interception fell onto a vehicle in the Al Barsha area, resulting in the death of a Pakistani driver,” it said in a separate post.

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Elsewhere in the city, Dubai briefly shut its main airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, after authorities said an unidentified object was intercepted nearby. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by smoke near the airport area. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 also showed aircraft circling the airport in holding patterns during the disruption, while airline operations later resumed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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