The Houthis Have Not Threatened to Attack Dubai’s Burj Khalifa
The Claim
Houthis threatened to attack the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media users are circulating an image of Burj Khalifa being bombed. Users claim that Houthis have threatened to attack the tallest building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The claim adds that Houthis have called for the building and surrounding areas to be evacuated.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the claim and discovered it to be fake. While the Houthis issued general threats against the UAE and Saudi Arabia, there was no specific threat against the Burj Khalifa. Furthermore, no people were evacuated from the Burj Khalifa and surrounding areas as a result of the news.
According to the Emarati news agency WAM, the UAE intercepted two missiles from the Houthis today, Monday, and the Defence Minister stated that there were "no casualties resulting from the attack, as the fragments of the ballistic missiles fell in different areas around the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi." The attempt comes after a three-person attack on an Abu Dhabi fuel depot.
In a televised statement, Yehia Sarei, a Houthi military spokesperson, confirmed the attack and said they would continue to target the UAE with "ballistic missiles and drones," warning that it would not stop "as long as attacks on the Yemeni people continue." The UAE's Minister of Defense stated that they are "fully prepared to deal with any threats" and will "take all necessary measures to protect the UAE from any attacks."
Based on the findings, Misbar classifies the claim as fake and that Houthis did not specify that they would target the Burj Khalifa in particular.
