For decades, Dubai has marketed itself as a sanctuary of stability in a turbulent region — a place where luxury hotels, financial towers and beach clubs coexist far from the Middle East's wars.
Nearly two weeks after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, waves of Iranian missiles and drones have targeted countries across West Asia. No country has faced more attacks than the United Arab Emirates.
According to Emirati officials, more than1,700 missiles and droneshave been launched toward the UAE since the conflict began, with air defenses intercepting the vast majority. Even so, several strikes or falling debris have hit homes, offices and roads in the densely populated city, killing four civilians and leaving dozens injured.
For a metropolis built on its reputation as a safe haven for business and tourism, the psychological impact may be as significant as the physical damage.
Black smoke rises in the background of the Dubai airport amid strikes by Iran. (Photo: AP)
Analysts say Dubai represents far more than a convenient military target.
"Dubai is the epicenter of globalization," Fawaz Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, toldCNN."Iranian leaders view it as a symbol of the Western-led economic order. If you rattle Dubai, you rattle confidence in the entire system."
Images of smokerising near Dubai International Airport or debris striking near luxury hotels quickly circulated worldwide. Thousands have been queueing-up at the airport as exptriates and tourists are struggling to leave the city amid the closure of airspace following relentless attacks launched by Iran.
The strikes on UAE, however, present a deep irony. The Emirates has been a crucial gateway of trade for Iran, especially during times when Tehran has faced international sanctions. Businesses in Iran have long used Dubai as a trading hub. Trade between Iran and the UAE reached roughly $28 billion in 2024, making the Emirates Iran's second-largest trading partner after China.
The Dubai Mall remains empty as the Middle East gets engulfed in the Iran war. (Photo: AP)
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