Explosions reported at Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone

Several explosions were reportedly heard overnight at the Jebel Ali Free Zone, a major industrial and logistics district in Dubai, the UAE.

Online witness accounts described as many as seven loud blasts over a period of roughly 20 minutes. Videos and photographs purporting to show smoke and fires in the area circulated on social media, alongside reports that ambulances had been dispatched to the scene.

Some media outlets, including Iranian sources, claimed the explosions were caused by an attack launched by the Yemen-based Houthi movement, which is allied with Tehran. Other reports suggested an industrial accident had caused the blasts.

Jebel Ali, located southwest of central Dubai and beside the industrial zone, is home to one of the Middle East’s largest container ports. The area sustained damage earlier in the broader regional conflict that began in late February, when the US and Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran.

Although the fighting has since subsided, the risk of renewed escalation remains high. On Monday, US President Donald Trump said he was giving Tehran a “last chance before decapitation” to accept a peace agreement on his terms.

The Houthis have for years been involved in a parallel conflict with Saudi Arabia and the UAE over political control of Yemen. Riyadh resumed attacks on Houthi targets last month after reportedly receiving encouragement from Trump.

In response, the Houthis barred Saudi-linked vessels from passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports helped it mitigate disruptions to oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively blocked during the US conflict with Iran.