‘We thought it was fireworks’: Dubai’s luxury seekers shaken by Iranian missiles | Dubai

TThe weekend started as it often does in Dubai. By late Saturday morning, beach clubs on Palm Jumeirah were at capacity. Along the promenade, running clubs gathered under the towers, filming their warm-ups before setting off in an orderly fashion.

On Instagram, the city looked pristine: blue skies, a flat sea and a steady stream of shoppers at Dubai Mall. But across the Gulf, the largest regional war since the 2003 invasion of Iraq was intensifying.

While US and Israeli missiles were launched and airspace was closed in parts of the Middle East, Dubai maintained its carefully guarded normalcy.

For years, the city has presented itself as a haven for capital and stability, a place of order and predictability in a volatile region insulated from the political storms shaping neighboring countries. This illusion continued until sunset.

Shortly after sunset, the first Iranian drones and missiles approached the Gulf states in retaliation. Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates as well as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain activated in response, and interceptors raced into the night sky.

Many tourists said they were caught completely off guard. There were no air raid sirens, and while residents with local phone numbers began receiving official warnings, others did not immediately realize what had happened.

“At first we thought it was fireworks,” said Natalia Veremeenko, who was staying near the five-star Fairmont The Palm, whose entrance caught fire after what appeared to be a drone attack.

Veremeenko initially believed the fire was a one-off incident, and within minutes the streets began to fill again. “They cleared everything quickly,” he said.

As usual, crowds were seen gathering around the fountains outside Dubai Mall for the night’s light and water show. However, the holiday mood did not hold up well.

Later in the evening, fires and thick clouds of smoke were reported at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi after drone debris crashed into fields, killing one person and injuring nearly a dozen others, according to local officials.

Thick columns of smoke rose from the Jebel Ali port area in Dubai, the world’s ninth busiest port and the busiest in the Middle East, where a pier caught fire. The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, widely considered Dubai’s most recognizable landmark, was also struck by falling drone debris, sparking a brief fire.

It remains unclear whether Iran is directly targeting hotels and other UAE landmarks that generate huge revenue for the emirate, rather than the US military facilities it has pledged to hit.

But for the UAE, the attacks marked a rare rupture in the business-friendly reputation that Gulf states have spent years cultivating. The overwhelming majority of Dubai’s residents are foreign nationals, attracted by the city’s promise of security and low taxes.

By dusk, many luxury hotels were ushering guests from open rooms and terraces to underground parking lots and service corridors. The scenes were more like images associated with cities in Ukraine, but the response here had a distinctly Dubai sheen.

“State of emergency, but make it fashionable,” wrote a Russian lifestyle blogger, posting a photo of herself in silk pajamas from the basement of a hotel.

Yekaterina, a Russian living in Dubai, said she felt “panic” for the first time when she received a message on her phone in the middle of the night telling her to take shelter in a skyscraper block. Rumors began to circulate in its parking lot that the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, had been hit; these claims were later revealed to be false, but reflected the uncertain tone of the night.

By morning, authorities moved quickly to calm nerves, reassuring residents and visitors that the situation was under control and promising those affected by the disruption that flight costs would be covered.

UAE air defenses appeared to be operating effectively. The defense ministry said 137 missiles and 209 drones were fired at UAE territory, most of which were intercepted by air defense systems.

“You can now return to normal. UAE is 100% safe. Life and business continue as normal,” the Emirati commentator said. Amjad Taha wrote to x

Western influencers based in Dubai, some of whom said they relocated to escape crime-ridden European cities and high taxes, were quick to echo the message.

“Greetings from a very relaxing dog walk in the best and safest city in the world,” said Joule Sullivan, an Australian living in Dubai. said half a million Instagram followers. “Sorry to the haters. Dubai is still the best city in the world,” he added.

But that confidence may yet be tested as Iran has shown no signs of reducing tensions and is believed to remain in its arsenal of thousands of cheap drones. Airports remain closed and tens of thousands of tourists are stranded with no clear timeline for when flights will resume.

On Sunday morning, tourists started receiving messages from authorities to stay home and wait for instructions. Some said they were determined and continued their daily work.

“I still plan to go to Dubai Mall to shop today,” Veremeenko said. “Hopefully this will all be over soon.”