Tourists at five-star resorts in Dubai were forced to shelter in underground car parks on Saturday evening as Iranian missiles and drones struck the United Arab Emirates, shattering the city’s carefully maintained image as a safe haven. The attacks, part of the largest regional conflict since the 2003 Iraq war, saw air defences activated across the Gulf states, with interceptor missiles streaking into the night sky.
Many visitors were caught off guard, with no air raid sirens and only some receiving official alerts. “At first we thought it was fireworks,” said Natalia Veremeenko, who was staying near the Fairmont The Palm, a resort whose entrance caught fire after what appeared to be a drone strike. Debris from drones also struck Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, killing one person and injuring about a dozen, with two further deaths announced on Sunday.
Fires broke out at the Jebel Ali port area, the busiest in the Middle East, and the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel was hit by falling debris, causing a brief fire. Luxury hotels ushered guests from exposed rooms into underground car parks, a scene one Russian lifestyle blogger described as “a state of emergency, but make it fashion”, posting a photo of herself in silk pyjamas from a hotel basement.
Authorities moved quickly to reassure residents and visitors, with the UAE defence ministry saying 137 missiles and 209 drones had been fired towards UAE territory, most of which were intercepted. “You can return to normal now. The UAE is 100% safe,” wrote Emirati commentator Amjad Taha on X. However, the attacks marked a rare rupture in the business-friendly reputation Gulf states have spent years cultivating.
