00:23What if a drone strike suddenly hit a major American bank in the heart of Dubai?
00:28Late Friday night, shocking videos spread across social media claiming that Citibank offices
00:34in Dubai and Bahrain were attacked by drones linked to Iran.
00:40Smoke, explosions, and dramatic captions flooded the internet.
00:45But did it really happen?
00:48As tensions rise between the United States, Iran, and Israel, rumors and misinformation
00:53are spreading just as fast as missiles.
00:55And this latest claim about Citigroup, the parent company of Citibank, quickly went viral.
01:01Let's break down what people claimed and what the actual facts reveal.
01:06Iranian state-linked outlets reported that drones struck Citibank offices in Dubai and Manama,
01:12the capital of Bahrain.
01:13Some posts even claimed the strike hit buildings inside the famous Dubai International Financial Center,
01:19one of the Middle East's biggest banking hubs.
01:23Videos circulating online showed what looked like a missile or drone slamming into a skyscraper,
01:29followed by fire and smoke.
01:31The narrative spread fast.
01:32Iran retaliates against U.S. financial institutions in the Gulf.
01:37But here's where the story changes.
01:40Citibank quickly released an official statement saying the reports were completely false.
01:45According to Citigroup, none of its offices in the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain were attacked.
01:50No damage, no drone strike, and all employees were safe.
01:54Operations continued normally.
01:57The viral videos appear to be old or unrelated footage,
02:01possibly from earlier drone debris incidents in Dubai.
02:04Because of rising regional tensions, several international banks,
02:08including firms near Dubai International Financial Center,
02:11had already taken precautionary measures like temporary office closures and staff evacuations.
02:17But there is no verified evidence that Citibank buildings were hit.
02:21During geopolitical crises, information spreads incredibly fast, especially dramatic videos.
02:27State media narratives, recycled footage, and viral social posts
02:31can easily create the impression that something major has happened, even when it hasn't.
02:36In this case, the idea that Iran targeted a major U.S. bank in the Gulf made the claim even
02:42more explosive.
02:44So, while tensions between the U.S., Iran, and Israel remain extremely high,
02:49the viral claim about Citibank offices in Dubai and Manama being hit by drones is not supported by evidence.
02:55For now, the supposed strike appears to be another example of wartime misinformation spreading online.
03:02But in a region already on edge, even rumours like this show how quickly the situation could escalate.
03:22Subscribe to One India and never miss an update.
03:26Download the One India app now.
Comments