Jerusalem Post/Middle EastWitnesses said they heard blasts in downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday. Meanwhile, Iranian state media claimed that US projectiles hit Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.Follow us on GoogleFILE PHOTO: A general view of the Dubai skyline, with Burj Khalifa visible in the center, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo)ByJAMES GENN, REUTERSJULY 16, 2026 19:32Updated: JULY 16, 2026 19:58Witnesses told Reuters that blasts were heard in downtown Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.However, the Government of Dubai Media Office called the Reuters report regarding explosions in Downtown Dubai "false.""GDMO urges the public and media to rely only on official sources for accurate information and to avoid spreading rumors or unverified information," it added.Additionally, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posted a claim on their social media that explosions shook the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi. The claims were also published by official Iranian state broadcasters, including Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).Meanwhile, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency reported that US missiles hit locations near Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz.No Iranians were injured or damage reported in the strikes on Bandar Abbas, semi-official Iranian outlet Mehr News Agency cited Hormozgan Governorate, where Bandar Abbas is located, as saying.Mehr also reported that US projectiles hit near Qeshm Island on Thursday.On Thursday morning, the Iranians claimed to have launched "Arash" suicide drones towards US Army Super Hawk radars, facilities, and Patriot missile defense systems at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.Also on Thursday, IRIB cited an Iranian military spokesperson, who threatened Middle East countries that host US military bases."Security imported from the US will not last for countries in the region," the spokesperson said.The UAE hosts US military bases, including Al Dhafra Air Base, which is located approximately 32 km. (20 miles) south of Abu Dhabi.During the early hours of Thursday morning, IRIB claimed that Iranian air defense systems shot down a US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper drone over Khuzestan Province. The US military has not corroborated this claim.Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) shared a video on its official X/Twitter account showing a US Air Force F-35A stealth fighter being refueled mid-air by a KC-135 Stratotanker while flying patrols over the Middle East.CENTCOM did not clarify whether this jet was conducting operations against Iran.This is a developing story.Follow us on Google