Iran unleashed a missile and drone attack across the Arabian Gulf in response to the US and Israel offensive against Ayatollah Khamenei. However, one city appeared to face the brunt of it, that is, Dubai.
The Gulf emirate, one of the seven in the UAE, has a reputation for being a place where lucrative deals can be sealed and celebrated. However, on Saturday, there was smoke and fire amid Iran’s actions. Dubai has a reputation for being a place of calm and commerce in West Asia, all of which was apparently dented by Iran’s attack today.
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An expert weighed in on the situation even as videos of the fire at the Palm Jumeirah sparked concerns.
A fire was seen engulfing the grounds of the five-star Fairmont Hotel. Commentary suggested the hotel was on fire due to interceptor debris. However, reports citing multiple videos accounted for the possibility that an Iranian drone could have hit the structure.
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Middleeasteye reported that the video footage of the drone slamming into the Palm Jumeirah appeared to match that of a drone hitting the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, which has its base in neighboring Bahrain.
A commentator on X voiced concerns, saying “The calculation that built modern Dubai is being repriced in real time by people watching their skyline burn through their bedroom windows.”
Why Iran attacked Dubai? Expert weighs in
An expert weighed in on the matter even as the fallout has shown that Dubai is not insulated from the politics of the region.
Cinzia Bianco, who is an expert on the Gulf at the European Council on Foreign Relations shared a visual of the attack in Dubai. The expert wrote on X “This is Dubai’s ultimate nightmare as its very essence depended on being a safe oasis in a troubled region. There might be a way to be resilient but there is no going back.”
Dubai reels after Iran attacks
The impact of the attack on people living there could be seen almost immediately. There was panic buying at some supermarkets, after with Emirati authorities issued a statement to reassure people that there was ample supply of food.
Strategic reserves of essential commodities are “robust, comprehensive and diversified,” they said, and asked people to stop stockpiling.
Iran’s attacks came as a broader onslaught on US bases in the region, after Israel and the Donald Trump administration decided to launch their offensive. Firas Maksad, at the Eurasia Group, feared that Iran’s actions in Dubai would only escalate the matter.
“Iran is forcing the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] up the escalation ladder. They will have to consider responding or, at a minimum, allowing the US greater operational freedom to conduct offensive operations from their territories,” the individual wrote on X. Iran, meanwhile, is likely progressing with the calculation that the attacks on Gulf countries might lead to them pressuring the US to de-escalate the situation, especially if they begin to suffer losses from Iranian strikes.
(With Bloomberg inputs)