After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, Iran moved to retaliate by targeting its neighbor, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), dealing a major blow to Dubai's long-standing image as a "safe financial city."
On the 1st (local time), the Associated Press said, "The UAE has for years marketed itself to foreigners as a safe, tax-free oasis," adding, "But as Iran's weapons rained down on Dubai, that peaceful image was shattered."
On the 28th of last month, about an hour after being attacked by the U.S. and Israel, Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at 14 U.S. military bases in the Middle East and at major Israeli cities. In the process, key landmarks in Dubai were also damaged.
Dubai's Government Media Office said on X that "debris from an intercepted Iranian drone struck the exterior of the Burj Al Arab, causing a small fire," and that "fire authorities responded quickly, extinguished the blaze, and there were no casualties." The Burj Al Arab hotel is regarded, along with the Burj Khalifa, as a landmark representing the UAE.
In addition, debris from a missile fell on the Fairmont The Palm hotel, sparking a fire, and some facilities at Dubai International Airport, the Middle East's hub airport, were damaged in the process of responding to Iran's airstrike. On social media (SNS), videos showing smoke billowing into the sky near the 830-meter-tall Burj Khalifa are spreading.
Cities in the UAE, including Dubai, have emphasized an image of a "safe place" to attract wealthy tourists and businesspeople seeking a luxurious life on the desert coast without tax burdens. As a result, about 90% of the roughly 11 million total residents are foreigners.
Cinzia Bianco, a Persian Gulf expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), said on X that "this is Dubai's worst nightmare, given that Dubai's very essence has been based on being a safe oasis within an unstable region," adding, "There may be ways to maintain resilience, but it will be difficult to go back to the way things were."