A third wave of Iranian suicide drones has hit Dubai this afternoon and destroyed a hotel in Bahrain, as Tehran’s onslaught against the region continues following the death of its Supreme Leader.

The remnants of the Iranian regime are launching widespread airstrikes across the Middle East, targeting US allies, military bases and areas popular with Western expats.

At least two drones have hit Dubai’s airport, the world-famous Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah hotels were hit yesterday, and further explosions are echoing across the Emirates today.

In the Bahrain city of Manama, the Crowne Plaza hotel was destroyed by a suicide drone, and Iranian missiles are also hitting Tel Aviv.

The Iranian regime has vowed to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’, with ‘force they have never experienced before’.

Senior regime figure Ali Larijani, who is expected to take over from the Ayatollah, led the calls to intensify revenge attacks on Israel and the West today.

The revenge strikes follow confirmation from Iran that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by the joint US-Israeli strikes, along with four of his family members and at least two high-level military leaders.

It comes as:

• Iran launched fresh airstrikes today on targets around the Middle East, expanding the scope of its attacks to even more states
• The regime confirmed the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after hours of denying he had been killed
• Trump and Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise up and overthrow the government, saying it would be their only chance in a generation
• Israel hit the ‘heart of Tehran’ with more airstrikes today, and warned the regime to back down
• Defence Secretary John Healey revealed that missiles were fired towards Cyprus, narrowly missing British troops
• The ‘Red Flag of Revenge’ was raised in Iran following the death of the Supreme Leader

Multiple rounds of further blasts echoed around Dubai this morning, with the most recent reported just before 12pm GMT.

In the last few hours, residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, also reported hearing several loud bangs.

Explosions have been heard for a second day in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, and in Oman for the first time, though most missiles and drones have been downed by air defences.

Iran also launched two missiles towards British military bases in Cyprus, Defence Secretary John Healey revealed this morning, where they ‘narrowly missed’ their targets after being shot down by UK troops.

Mr Healey warned that Iranian missile commanders are ‘increasingly allowed to choose their own targets’ as Tehran loses its ‘command and control’.

Iran claimed to have struck 27 US bases in the region, but has also hit a range of other sites including residential tower blocks and luxury hotels.

Yesterday in Dubai, Iranian suicide drones hit landmark hotel the Palm Jumeirah, injuring four people, as well as the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, sparking panic among tourists.

Dramatic footage showed a fireball in the sky near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as a weapon was intercepted. 

The Dubai Media Office confirmed that debris from drones intercepted by air defences had fallen onto two homes in the city, injuring two people, and also caused a fire at the major Jebel Ali port.

Further videos overnight showed panic in a smoke-filled, debris-strewn terminal at Dubai Airport, which has been evacuated after four members of staff were injured.

A post on X read: ‘Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained.’

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that, as of late last night, 137 ballistic missiles had been launched by Iran towards the Emirate, of which 132 had been destroyed by air defences and five fell into the Persian Gulf.

It said it had also been targeted by 209 suicide drones, of which 195 were intercepted and 14 got through – with some making contact.

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Bahrain was engulfed in thick smoke this morning, with its owners reporting it had suffered an ‘incident’ but that all guests and staff were safe.

Bahrain’s air defenses responded overnight to ‘hostile Iranian missile attacks’, intercepting at least 45 missiles and nine drones, state media reported this morning.

An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Musandam in Oman, according to the country’s maritime security center, injuring four people and forcing the entire 20-strong crew to evacuate.

Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most vital oil shipping lanes that connects the major Gulf producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the UAE, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

One person was killed and seven injured in an attack on Abu Dhabi’s Zayed airport, while thick black smoke has been seen rising from the Erbil Airport in Iraq.

Reports from Doha, Qatar’s capital, say that several loud explosions were heard at 7:30 this morning local time, while the government said 16 people had been injured. 

The airspace over the Middle East remains almost completely empty, with most of the airports closed to all traffic. Around 20,000 flights have so far been delayed or cancelled.

One woman has been killed and scores injured in Tel Aviv, Israel, where a missile struck a residential block last night and attacks have continued this morning. Air raid sirens have rung out in Israel more than 20 times in the past 24 hours.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has warned Britons in several Middle East countries to ‘immediately shelter in place’ and to avoid travel to Israel and Palestine.

‘Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,’ it advised, adding it was ‘working around the clock’ to support British nationals affected.

This morning’s continued bombardment around the Middle East comes as Iran confirmed the death of the Ayatollah after hours of denial, even after Donald Trump announced he was gone.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in the airstrike after Israeli jets dropped 30 bombs on the Supreme Leader’s compound. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump were reportedly shown an image of Khamenei’s body after it was recovered from his compound. 

His death comes after nearly 37 years as the Islamic Republic’s leader – sending the regime into meltdown and destabilizing the Gulf.

As well as Khamenei’s four family members, two high-level military leaders – Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour – were also obliterated in the strikes on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Israel announced it had carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Iran and struck the ‘heart’ of the capital.

A statement from the IDF said: ‘For the first time since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion”, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] is striking targets that belong to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran.

‘Over the past day, the Israeli Air force conducted large-scale strikes in order to establish aerial superiority and to pave the path to Tehran.’

This morning, Trump promised to strike Iran ‘with a force that has never been seen before,’ after boasts from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) about the number of American air bases attacked.

The president posed on Truth Social: ‘Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!’

A number of celebrities and influencers have been caught up in the violence, including Luisa Zissman, Petra Ecclestone and Love Island star Arabella Chi.

Branding it the ‘scariest, worst nights of our lives’, many spoke of how terrified they were at hearing the constant bangs overhead, while sheltering in their homes or hotels.

Israeli socialite Hofit Golan posted footage from her hotel balcony of rockets and explosions hitting the famous Palm Jumeirah hotel after she arrived in Dubai just hours earlier.

She wrote on Instagram: ‘After being debriefed from my flights as the skies closed above us. I came home to see the Palm filling up with smoke!

‘I can see rockets and explosions from my balcony! reports of other explosions being heard all over the city. Please stay safe, everyone,’ she urged.

Vicky Pattison shared that her and husband Ercan Ramadan are ‘safe and trying to stay calm’ amid the airstrikes.

The pair touched down in Dubai this week after flying on a lavish first class Emirates flight and just hours after sunbathing at the beach, the pair were forced to safety.

This morning, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that Donald Trump has crossed a ‘very dangerous red line’.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told CNN: ‘Of course, from a religious aspect, he was a great religious leader, so many of Shiite followers across the region and around the world are going to react to that, and this is very obvious because President Trump passed a very dangerous red line.’

Iranian state media announced there would be a 40-day mourning period after Khamenei’s death, as the regime scrambles to kickstart the process of finding a new leader.

During the official announcement on Iranian state news, the anchor wore black and stifled tears as he read a statement from the National Supreme Council.

‘God is great. God is great. With deep sorrow, it is announced to the nation of Iran that Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred today in a joint criminal attack by the United States and the Zionist regime,’ the anchor said in a clip posted on social media.

The Council described Khamenei as a revered religious Islamic figure, and said his ‘long dream of martyrdom became true.’ It was noted that Khamenei was killed during the month of Ramadan. 

According to the statement, Iranians were mourning the leader’s death, and enemies of the country should note that ‘martyrdom will spark a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors’.

However, there have also been Iranians taking to the streets in large numbers to rejoice the decapitation of the regime that has for decades ruled over them with an iron fist.

It has been deeply unpopular among some for the way it has enforced strict religious law, clamped down violently on dissent, and made Iran a pariah on the world stage.

Iranian media yesterday reported that more than 100 girls had been killed at a primary school near a military base by the US-Israeli strikes.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said yesterday that the UK was not involved in the strikes against Iran, but that RAF planes were in the sky in a ‘defensive’ capacity.

He condemned Iran’s lashing out at the region, and urged both sides to avoid ‘further escalation’.