FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiIran's attacks bring Dubai's influencers and VIPs back to reality.
A powerful explosion outside an apartment complex near the Burj Khalifa in Dubai marked the start of a night of terror after Iran's unprecedented attacks on Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, shattered the city's image as a safe haven from regional tensions.
The explosion set off an alarm in the modern apartment complex, and cellphones began vibrating with an urgent government alert: “Stay indoors and in safe areas.” With no air raid shelters in the city, residents grabbed their passports, ran down the stairs, and took shelter in the garage.
As Politico's economics editor Gregorio Sorgi, who experienced last night's terror from Dubai, describes, checking his cellphone every hour, it provides a glimpse into what Ukrainians have experienced in more than four years of war.
Until recently, few would have imagined they would need shelter in Dubai, the glitzy resort city that has earned its reputation, among other things, as a safe haven from the turmoil of the Middle East.
DUBAI'S ICONIC BURJ AL ARAB UNDER FIRE AS IRANIAN DRONE HITS LUXURY DISTRICT pic.twitter.com/txV3Ffl4wa
— Russian Market (@runews) February 28, 2026
The Politico journalist's plans, he says, to travel to Nicosia to cover a meeting of European Union ministers were suddenly overturned by Iranian attacks. The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defense announced that within 24 hours the country had received 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones, most of which were intercepted by air defenses.
Debris from the interceptions hit Dubai airport and two luxury hotels, the Fairmont The Palm and the Burj Al Arab.
Dubai airport pic.twitter.com/ViFuXqPgkx
— Russian Market (@runews) February 28, 2026
It quickly became clear that the city's Western community of multinational executives, influencers and tourists was unprepared for a crisis. Some chose to use the stairs, despite the danger from drones and missiles, while others waited at the reception with their pets, the sounds of barking and meowing drowned out by the roar of sports cars heading for the highways.
The idea of fleeing to Oman, a theoretically safe haven, was abandoned, especially when it too was targeted by Iranian attacks the next morning. On Sunday, Dubai's usually busy highways were empty as explosions continued to echo through the city. The popular Kite Beach, which had been "packed" with joggers before the crisis, was deserted, with any sudden noise causing panic among the few residents.
Despite the uncertainty, delivery drivers on small motorbikes continued to work, feeding those who had stayed home, remembering, as they said, the doctors and nurses who kept the health system afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It remains uncertain whether the Iranian attack will permanently damage Dubai’s image as a safe and cosmopolitan hub. “Iran did not strike a military base in Dubai. It struck the idea of Dubai,” wrote analyst and author Sanaka Anselm Perera on Platform X, adding that the city is “an economic case,” that is, the proposition that a global metropolis can be built at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, insulated from the violence of the region.
However, even in the midst of a crisis, some financial circles see opportunity.
“This is a good time to buy real estate, prices will drop significantly after the attacks,” commented a young consultant, reflecting the perception that the unrest could be transformed into an investment opportunity.
3 thousand Albanians in the Emirates
It is estimated that there are around 1,500 Albanian citizens residing in the Emirates and the same number of tourists, who enter without a visa regime and without being required to register with the Embassy during their trip. The Embassy has been and is in constant contact with compatriots for further information and instructions during and after the attacks.
The emergency number available to Albanian citizens resident or tourists in the Emirates for any need is: +971 50 980 7881 .
The ministry announces that the airspace of the United Arab Emirates, like that of all Gulf countries, is temporarily closed as part of measures to intercept attacks and will remain so until further notice from local authorities.
The opening of airspace will occur when there are no more attacks and when neighboring countries take the same step.
So far, 3 citizens have lost their lives, while 50 others have been injured in the United Arab Emirates, mainly in Dubai, as a result of missile attacks by Iran, which is responding to the bombings by Israel and the United States of America, which led to the elimination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Influenceri është një tutkun dembel që pasurohet nga tutkunë të kamur që s'janë të aftë të zgjedhin vetë një palë kepucë tutkunësh. (Vittorio Sgarbi)