Driver dies in Al Barsha incident amid expanding war between Iran, the United States and Israel; United Arab Emirates condemns attacks against civilians
A column of smoke rises around the Dubai Creek area, as seen from Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 7, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
A Pakistani driver was killed when “debris from an aerial interception” fell on a vehicle in Dubai’s Al Barsha area late Saturday night, according to the Dubai Media Office.
This is the second case of a Pakistani citizen losing his life in an attack in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel.
The war has spread throughout the region: Iran attacks US assets and bases in the Gulf countries, while Israel carries out attacks in Lebanon.
The Dubai Media Office statement did not specify which projectile was intercepted during Saturday’s incident or where it was fired from.
Authorities confirm that debris from an aerial intercept fell on a vehicle in the Al Barsha area, causing the death of a Pakistani driver.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 7, 2026
The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran. On the same day, the UAE Ministry of Defense reported the death of one person following falling debris following the interception of missiles aimed at sites in Abu Dhabi.
Initially, the Defense Ministry said an Asian national had died after debris fell in a residential area of Abu Dhabi.
UAE authorities later confirmed that the victim was a Pakistani national identified as Mureed Zaman, a resident of Bannu district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
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Zaman had been working in Abu Dhabi for almost eight years, earning a living through work and driving. He had been supporting his family at home.
The United Arab Emirates conveyed its “sincere condolences and deepest condolences to the family of the Pakistani citizen who lost his life as a result of these attacks, expressing its full solidarity with them.”
“The UAE underlined that targeting civilians and civilian objects is unequivocally condemned and strictly prohibited under international law and humanitarian principles,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
