“It’s not the Dubai we know.” The phrase is from Satya Jaganathan, a woman from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who on Sunday told the BBC how their routine has been turned upside down by something difficult to see in one of the richest and most stable nations in the Middle East: missiles. Over the weekend, in response to the US-Israeli attack that killed its supreme leader, Tehran responded with a wave of missiles that partly targeted your neighbors of the Gulf, targeting Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or the UAE, where Jaganathan was caught.
The Iranian drones and missiles have not left a large number of victims in the UAE, but they have dealt a severe blow to something equally important for the country: the image of stability that it projects globally, a fundamental value that has helped it become the destination of thousands of expats and a logistical reference. As Satya says, the Dubai of this Sunday “is not the Dubai we know.”
What has happened? That the Middle East faces what is probably its most tense outlook in recent years. On Saturday, Israel and the United States launched a powerful attack against Iran that ended the life of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneiin addition to the Iranian Minister of Defense and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, according to Reuters. Tehran’s reaction was devastating.
Unlike other Iranian attacks, such as the one in 2024 or the ‘Twelve Day War’when the offensive of the Islamic Republic seemed to seek a “planned de-escalation”on this occasion the Iranian forces have responded with force. And in the process they have pointed out where it hurts the most in countries like the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
What has he done? Tehran has responded to the Israeli and American attacks with severity, launching missiles and drones that (now) do not seem to seek de-escalation. For now, it has managed to escalate the conflict and directly involve other countries in the Middle East. In addition to directing missiles toward Israel, the Islamic Republic has dealt blows against the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq.
It’s not a coincidence. To a greater or lesser extent, these seven nations facilitate Washington’s operations in the region. The port of Jebel Ali, for example, regularly welcomes American ships, Bahrain is home to the Fifth Fleet of the US Navy and the US also takes advantage of Doha.
“All occupied territories and US criminal bases in the region have been hit by powerful Iranian missile strikes. This operation will continue relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated,” claims the Revolutionary Guard. Their purpose is clear: to pressure their neighbors to limit Washington’s reach. In case there were any doubts, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, remembered to the countries of the region that have the “responsibility to prevent the improper use of their facilities and territories.”
How have the attacks been? Beyond the Iranian rhetoric, it does not appear that the attacks have had serious consequences either in terms of casualties or destruction of infrastructure. Jordan claims to have shot down a pair of ballistic missiles and, although “objects and debris” fell at several points, they only caused material damage. In Kuwait a drone attacked the airfield and in Saudi Arabia the Government insist in which it has repelled “cowardly attacks” against Riyadh and the Eastern Province. Of course that does not mean that Iran has not left destruction and victims.
Are figures handled? Yes. In total The New York Times details that Iranian attacks have caused at least four deaths and more than a hundred injured in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Perhaps the country that has received the most attention is the UAE, which received a wave of more than 540 drones165 ballistic missiles and another two cruise missiles, according to their authorities.
Emirati air defense systems have intercepted most of the projectiles, but that did not prevent the blow from being felt in one of the most influential and thriving kingdoms in the region. In Dubai, the financial heart of the Middle East, images have been seen of luxurious hotels affected by fire, towers with windows burst by explosions and havoc at the airport.
That’s all? No. Beyond the toll of injuries, deaths and damaged infrastructure, Iran has pursued another objective: to hit the international image of its neighbors, limiting their projection of reliable destinations. The worst part has probably been borne by the Emirates, where they live hundreds of thousands of expats. The nation has also become an important tourist hub, both for its attraction itself and for its strategic position, which makes it a stopover point for many Western tourists who fly to Asia or Oceania.
In practice, that translates into two things: a constant flow of millions of travelers from the rest of the world and thousands and millions of dollars. A whole way to diversify the economy beyond oil, an objective that neighboring Saudi Arabia has also been pursuing for years. due to megaprojects.
Is it that serious? Beyond its skyscrapers, luxury, landscapes, standard of living and great infrastructure, hooks that serve to attract expats and tourists, the UAE above all plays the card of its stability. The same one that Iran now wants to score against. “You don’t expect to hear missiles flying in Dubai,” recognize to TNYW Elizabeth Rayment, who was surprised by the attack in Palm Islands.
The weekend attacks caused a fire for example at the Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai, a luxurious five-star establishment. Other accommodation damaged by the remains of an Iranian drone was the Burj Al Arab.
What is the objective? For Middle East expert Andrew Thomas, there is little doubt about Iran’s purpose. “This is a deliberate strategy, designed to impose early and substantial costs on its neighbors and the overall stability of the region,” he explains in an article of The Conversation.
“The strategy is to weaken the region and make sure all its neighbors feel it. It promises that if operations continue, the relative peace and prosperity the Gulf has enjoyed will come to an end.” The next question is whether that strategy will bear fruit or increase military pressure on Tehran.
Has it already had effects? Yes. For now, the Islamic Republic has achieved two objectives, beyond causing victims and material damage in other neighboring countries. It has dealt a severe blow to the region (one that may be felt first by the UAE, but which will be transferred to other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, also committed to increasing its tourism), and has turned air traffic upside down.
The Iranian attack has focused in terminals such as Dubai, Kuwait or Iraq, affecting thousands of flights with origin or destination Middle East. In fact there are those who speak now of one of the most serious interruptions in international traffic since the pandemic, a new blow to the image of countries like the Emirates.
Images | Jake Debique (Unsplash), Wikipedia and Wael Hneini (Unsplash)
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