A fire broke out at the Fairmont The Palm hotel on Dubai's landmark Palm Jumeirah on Saturday, reportedly caused by falling debris from an Iranian missile.
Earlier that evening, videos circulating on social media showed a dense column of black smoke rising from the top of the building, while several loud explosions were reported in the area.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense said Saturday that its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed a wave of Iranian missiles and drones launched towards the country.
The ministry confirmed that multiple missiles were shot down, with debris falling in several areas of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Dubai Civil Defense said four people were injured in an explosion in the Palm Jumeirah area.
In a statement, the ministry stressed that the targeting constitutes a blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law, affirming the UAE's full right to take all necessary measures to protect its territory and people and to safeguard its sovereignty, security and stability.
The UAE has reportedly closed parts of its airspace as a precautionary measure.
The United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Saturday, prompting retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israeli and U.S. targets across the Middle East.
Iranian airstrikes on the UAE continued on Sunday, with China Media Group (CMG) reporters in Dubai hearing four more explosions in the morning.
The Ministry of Defense of the UAE said on Sunday that the country's air force and air defense forces have successfully intercepted and destroyed 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones launched by Iran.
The attacks have killed at least three people and injured 58 others in the UAE, the ministry said.
Iranian airstrike sparks fire at Dubai's Fairmont The Palm hotel
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
