Israeli Influencer Describes Hiding in Bath as Iranian Missile Hits Dubai's Iconic Palm Jumeirah Hotel
A shaken Hofit Golan has revealed she is hiding in a bath after witnessing the terrifying moment an Iranian missile struck Dubai's famous Palm Jumeirah hotel. The missile hit the five-star hotel on Saturday as Tehran launched widespread revenge attacks across the Middle East following recent US airstrikes.
Celebrities and Influencers Fear for Safety in UAE
Israeli influencer Hofit, 40, is among the celebrities and influencers currently fearing for their safety in the United Arab Emirates. She recalled hearing loud explosions and thinking, "I can't believe it I am in the safest city in the world and I can't believe this is happening."
"Of course I am frightened. It is a natural reaction," Hofit said. "The UAE is supposed to be one of the safest places. You see it (explosions) in front of your balcony. You see fireworks usually but that's a different kind of lighting of the skies."
She described the psychological impact, saying, "So, in the back of your head it is like what is going to happen at night? Are we all going to be able to sleep? You kind of black out a little bit. I haven't caught my breath yet. I feel a bit shocked, a little overwhelmed and exhausted."
Widespread Attacks Across the Region
Missiles fired by Tehran have struck US military bases in Qatar and have also rained down on Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain and Israel. Videos posted on social media show Dubai's iconic Palm Jumeirah ablaze after it was hit in what appears to be an Iranian suicide drone attack.
Hofit acknowledged that UAE defenses are "successfully intercepting the missiles and doing their job well," but added, "of course it is a human natural emotion to be like 'oh gosh oh my god', that is where I am at."
"I did not see anyone get hurt or hear shouting. I can't think straight. I am just processing the emotions. It's kind of surreal," she continued.
Evacuation and Safety Measures
Brave Hofit chose to evacuate by her own choice from her home on a private beach on the Palm to a place of safety. She showed on her Instagram the traffic as people fled the area.
"We have been getting reports that they are shutting down the tourist places and we're being told to stay indoors and stay away from windows," she added.
Hofit explained the safety advice being given: "There is a lot of good advice being given like if you see debris, you need to go inside and need two three minutes because debris takes time to go down and most people get injured from the debris."
Regarding the evacuation, she said, "I've not seen panic just traffic. There is traffic in Dubai all the time so I don't know if the traffic is Dubai traffic or people trying to leave."
Regional Travel Disruptions
Hofit said she has decided to travel to a friend's house who lives more inland. "I am just trying to round up international friends and bring them to our villa and take them out of their sky scrapers," she explained.
The fashion model had been sat on a British Airways flight bound for London Heathrow when they were given notification the flight would not be leaving and passengers would have to disembark the plane.
Praising Dubai airport staff, Hofit said: "I was very impressed at the way they handled evacuating the airport and they were really accommodating. It was really efficient and I was very impressed as I thought I would be stuck."
She contrasted this with her experience in other places, noting, "like when it snows one drop in Heathrow the whole country closes for a week. They are organised here and they are on it."
Uncertain Future for Travelers
Hofit said she doesn't know yet when travellers will be allowed to leave Dubai. "I don't think I am going to go anywhere soon. My friends are like we can drive to Oman or Egypt so some friends are trying to find other ways to travel out of the region," she revealed.
"I think whatever is happening in Dubai is going to happen all around it is the whole region and air space has shut down. I am just taking it hour by hour and following the safety information," Hofit concluded.
Despite the terrifying situation, she maintained a measure of optimism: "I am just one person in a city right now. I think about other people, but it is going to be okay."
