Western tourists have been seen running for their lives from supersonic Iranian missiles targeting the United Arab Emirates, amid fears of an all-out war escalating in the Middle East.
Influencers in the populous city of Dubai have taken to social media to speak of their shock in being caught up in the retaliatory strikes, which have come just hours after the US and Israel embarked on an air assault targeting the Iranian regime, on Saturday morning.
The US and Israel launched strikes on targets in several Iranian cities on Saturday, including the offices of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sending explosions and plumes of smoke over the capital, Tehran.
Israeli media outlet Channel 12 said unnamed Israeli sources had revealed there were ‘growing indications’ the leader had been killed during this morning’s air strikes or that he was ‘hurt at the very least’.
Iran has so far launched revenge attacks across the region, with missiles reported in Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudia Arabia.
Dramatic footage and images captured the moment the five-star Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel in Dubai was hit and set ablaze to the front of the building’s exterior by an ultra-fast Shahed drone.
Four people are said to have been injured in the attack, according to the Dubai media office, with witnesses stating ambulances had rushed to the scene.
‘Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control. Four individuals sustained injuries and have been transferred to medical facilities,’ the authority added.
The sheer speed of the missile – which is said to be able to fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound – can be heard on video footage cutting through the air before blasting into the hotel.
Dramatic footage and images have captured the moment the five-star Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel was hit and set ablaze by an Iranian missile
Four people are said to have been injured in the attack, according to the Dubai media office, with witnesses stating ambulances had rushed to the scene
An orange aura filled the air as the missile struck at supersonic speed into the luxury hotel
A cyclist watches in horror as a supersonic missile launched by Iran falls over Dubai
The Iranian-made Shahed drone is said to be able to fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound (file pic)
British influencer Will Bailey, who was close to the Fairmont hotel in Dubai, expressed his shock as the missile landed just metres away from him
Located a half-an-hour drive from Dubai International Airport, rooms at the opulent hotel average £292 a night, while guests wanting a more upmarket stay in the presidential suite can spend closer to £828 a night.
The hotel is located on Dubai’s famed man-made island The Palm.
British influencer Will Bailey, who has just landed in Dubai and was sitting poolside at the hotel, said: ‘That was metres away from us. Look at this.
‘That is the Fairmont hotel in Dubai. Oh my God, oh my God.’
He added: ‘Oh my days, over the beach club is f****** mental. Literally directly above us. That is insane. They were so loud.
‘I have no words. In the safest city in the world. Wow.’
Meanwhile Samantha, who lives in Dubai Hills, reported seeing the missile pass over her head some 26km away from the hotel.
‘It’s panic. Total panic. I saw it passing above my head’, she said, speaking to the Mail. ‘I’m stressed out because any one little part of a missile could come on top of our building.’
And with the United Arab Emirates having said it has now ‘partially and temporarily’ closed its airspace as a precaution, according to state media, Brits trying to flee the country have found themselves stuck.
One such passenger was forced off a plane from Dubai back to London just minutes after boarding as flights in and out of the Emirati nation were grounded.
Mike Boreham was on the British Airways flight 108 to Heathrow Airport with hundreds of others when the UAE came under fire from retaliatory Iranian missiles.
He told The Independent: ‘We were all boarded. The flight is completely full.
‘About ten minutes after the “boarding complete” announcement, we were told airspace is closed.’
The passengers headed back into the terminal and it is unclear when the flight will be able to depart as planned.
Elsewhere, a short 11-second clip has emerged online showing the brief moment Iranian ballistic missiles were shot out of the sky above the UAE city.
Westerners poolside watch on as Iranian missiles are intercepted in the skies of Dubai today
In the video, with over half a million views, the woman says, ‘Oh my god’ as she pans the camera across the pool and back up to two plumes of smoke in the sky
Samantha Dicomo, 50, (pictured) who has lived in Dubai for eight years, said the explosion at Al-Dhafra air base was so powerful it made the walls of her home in tremble
18-year-old influencer Julis, shared a clip of herself working on a laptop in a café, shortly after ‘hear[ing] explosions in Dubai’.
People were soaking up the sun beside the pool as two clouds expanded in the blue sky above.
SHAHED-136 ‘KAMIKAZE’ DRONES
Iranian-made Shahed-136 ‘kamikaze’ drone
The Shahed-136 is an unmanned drone model developed by Iran and deployed by Russia on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.
It is designed to attack ground targets from a distance in a kamikaze-style assault.
The AI-powered autonomous drone have been spotted in terrifying footage coming out of the Middle East as Iran retaliates to the US-Israel missile strikes on Saturday.
The 200kg drone is 11ft long with a wingspan of 8.2ft.
It can carry a 90kg warhead and has an operational range of 1,600 miles – and maximum speed of 115mph.
The drone also has a maximum payload of 400kg.
In December the US military said it had developed the LUCAS drone – a clone of the Shahed-136.
Russia has deployed the Geran-2, an upgraded version of the Shahed-136 which is manufactured in Russia, on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict.
According to the Institute for Science and International Security, 4,442 Shahed-type drones were launched in January in the war – of which 2915 were designated as Shahed/Geran strike drones.
In the video, with over half a million views, the woman says, ‘Oh my god,’ as she pans the camera across the pool and back up to two plumes of smoke in the sky while insisting, ‘They are bombing it.’
Another witness, Samantha Dicomo, 50, who has lived in Dubai for eight years, said the explosion at Al-Dhafra air base was so powerful it made the walls of her home in tremble.
‘I heard a huge sound. It was so loud that it was like it was on top of my head. The walls trembled,’ the Italian furniture designer told the Daily Mail.
‘There was no warning whatsoever. I was just doing my stuff when I heard this clear sound of a bomb. At first, I thought it was an earthquake.’
Samantha said she has heard multiple explosions throughout the afternoon, with terrified residents staying indoors as the streets emptied.
‘I don’t know what is safe at the moment. The streets are empty. Normally, there are many more cars and buses in the street,’ she added.
She said residents have been given little information, but know the airspace has been closed and they cannot leave the country.
‘Nobody is coming in, and nobody’s going out, okay? We’re all stuck here. We can’t flee,’ Samantha said.
She added that she had heard at least four explosions and was growing increasingly fearful. ‘I’m not relaxed anymore. I thought it was just one bomb,’ she said.
‘Because last time when it happened in Qatar, it was one bomb only we heard it, and that’s it. But now it’s one, two, three, four!’
Meanwhile, Mike Hales, another Brit in Dubai took to the social media platform to share his shock after the missile was struck down from the sky.
‘What the actual f**k, a bomb just went off,’ he said. ‘I was standing here on the balcony in Dubai, so we aren’t too far away from Saudi.
‘And this massive explosion sound, and it sounded like it rumbled, a bit like thunder, and I was like, what the hell is that noise.
‘It is mad, I have never heard a bomb go off before. Literally here on the balcony and we heard this massive explosion. That was scary.’
In another clip posted by @iknowuea, loud reverberating sounds can be heard as a plume of white smoke emerges as a missile was intercepted.
A video from outside a Brewdog in the Middle Eastern city shows a second projectile being struck down in the sky.
The Italian furniture designer added that she had heard at least four explosions and was growing increasingly fearful
Will Bailey, who is visiting Dubai, said he was ‘awoken to what seems like World War Three’ on his visit to the city
Dennis, who lives in London, shared a video of himself lying on the beach alongside a snippet of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’
In one video, a Brit can be heard saying, ‘That’s three missiles, over our heads,’ while focusing on the white missile streak above
Mike Hales from the UK shared how he heard an explosion comparable to ‘thunder’ while on a balcony in Dubai
Meanwhile, British influencer Leah Mai, who moved from London to Dubai, shared a short clip of the blue sky to her story following the missile interception
In another clip posted by @iknowuea, loud reverberating sounds can be heard as a plume of white smoke emerges as a missile is intercepted
A plume of smoke rising over Abu Dhabi following in Iranian missile strike on February 28, 2028
‘F****ng close,’ a British voice could be heard saying, while another added: ‘That’s the second one.’
In one video, a Brit can be heard saying, ‘That’s three missiles, over our heads,’ while focusing on the white missile streak above.
‘Isn’t that cool?’ one says, as another exclaims in shock, ‘What the f**k.’
Meanwhile, British influencer Leah Mai, who moved from London to Dubai, shared a short clip of the blue sky to her story following the missile interception.
‘Every so often, you get reminded that you live in the Middle East. A place where bombs do actually go off. Mad,’ she wrote.
Elsewhere, Jamie Smith, who was drinking pints by the pool, said he heard ‘three loud bangs’.
‘Hotel is delivering complementary ice lollies like all is good,’ he added. ‘Well the pool and the adjoining pub are very quiet for a Saturday.’
Dennis, who lives in London, shared a video of himself lying on the beach with a snippet of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’.
‘Casually at the beach in Dubai whilst Iran just tried bombing the UAE 45 minutes ago,’ he wrote.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old influencer Julis, shared a clip of herself working on a laptop in a café, shortly after ‘hear[ing] explosions in Dubai’.
‘Out of interest, tell me your last words,’ she added.
An American in Dubai, who goes by the username @bitcoincapitalist, said: ‘I was just making a video on how Trump just attacked Iran and there was just a very loud explosion off in the distance.
‘Do not know what is going on right now, but things are heating up. I just saw a video from the marina with a convoy of helicopters going but I am very curious what that explosion just was.
‘But it looks like the war with Iran, the US and Israel is finally here.’
The UAE evacuated the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, amid the attacks, Turkiye Today reported, as all flights in and out of Dubai have been cancelled.
After the UAE’s airspace was closed, many flights heading to Dubai were forced to return to their starting points.
Services by Emirates from Dublin, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and LOT Polish Airlines to Warsaw were all grounded as the country locked down.
An Emirates service to Dubai from Seattle was also diverted, to Warsaw.
Around 250,000 passengers normally pass through Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest international hub – every day.
Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates said in an update: ‘Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.
‘We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements.
‘The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.’
Many major airlines have similarly cancelled or diverted flights to and from the Middle East amid safety concerns.
Wizz Air has suspended flights until March 7 in Israel, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and in Amman in Jordan, and in Saudi Arabia until Tuesday.
Meanwhile, British Airways has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday, along with Saturday’s service to Amman.
And Emirates has temporarily suspended services to and from Dubai, with Lufthansa, Air India, Virgin Atlantic and Turkish Airlines all also announcing cancellations.
The aviation authority in Kuwait has halted all flights to Iran until further notice, according to state media.
Other countries in the Middle East have also closed their airspace, including Iraq, Qatar and Jordan, leaving thousands of tourists stranded at airports.
One passenger plane, travelling from Birmingham to Qatar, was grounded as US and Israeli military action against Iran escalated.
The Qatar Airways service, scheduled to leave at 8.14am GMT for Doha, took off but only reached airspace over France before it was forced to turn back.
Flight tracking data has shown it landed back in Birmingham at around 11.20am GMT.
The airline has since confirmed it has stopped all flights to Doha after Qatari airspace closed on Saturday.
The carrier said it is working with authorities to help passengers affected by the disruption and will restart services once Qatar’s airspace reopens.
A spokesperson said: ‘The safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.’
Meanwhile, a British Airways flight from Heathrow to Doha at 8pm on Friday was forced to turn back to London around a third of the way into its journey.
Jo Rhodes, a travel expert at Which?, explained what this means for passengers: ‘In light of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, many airlines are taking precautionary steps to amend their schedules, including cancelling flights in the region.
‘Given the extraordinary circumstances, passengers on delayed or cancelled flights will not be entitled to compensation.
‘However, if you are flying with a UK or EU airline, or are departing a UK or EU airport with any carrier, your airline should provide assistance during your delay.
‘Depending on the length of your delay, assistance may include food and drink and, where necessary, overnight accommodation.
‘If your journey is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund.’
The British Foreign Office’s travel guidance for Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Oman now advises travellers to ‘remain vigilant, follow local authority advice and take shelter if advised’.
It has also warned against all travel to Israel and Palestine and has urged Brits already in other Middle Eastern countries to ‘immediately shelter in place’.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: ‘Due to the threat posed by escalation in the region, we recommend against all travel to Israel and Palestine.
‘On February 28, 2026, the US and Israel commenced joint military action in Iran. Israeli airspace has now closed.’
British nationals in the region have been urged to take ‘sensible precautions’, including following advice from local authorities, staying away from military facilities and making sure their travel documents are up to date.
Any people from the UK in Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait have also been advised to immediately shelter in place.
The update read: ‘Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.’
It comes as blasts have also rocked Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, sparking fears the Middle East may now be on the brink of all-out war.
In Bahrain, officials confirmed that the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet had been targeted by a missile attack – with footage shared on social media showing a large plume of smoke rising into the sky.
An Iranian suicide drone has also now reportedly struck a tower block in the country, hours after strikes targeted the major US naval base in the state.
Video footage shows a huge fireball erupting towards the top of the high-rise building, believed to be the luxury apartment building Era View Tower, with debris scattering and falling onto the surrounding area below.
It is not known at this stage if there are any casualties.
Explosions have also been heard in the Syrian city of Damascus and in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, apparently as a result of Israeli missile interceptions.
The Operation has been named ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel and ‘Epic Fury’ by the US Department of Defense, which Trump has renamed the Department of War.
People take cover in an underground light rail station amid reports of incoming missiles in Israel
More Israeli’s taking shelter at an underground train station as they prepare for retaliatory missile strikes
An image shows smoke billowing from a building after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday morning
Smoke rises after Iran carried out a missile strike on the main headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain
It is understood that the UK did not participate in the attacks, and Sir Keir Starmer will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee later today.
Sir Keir Starmer has said Iran must ‘refrain from indiscriminate military strikes’ in a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, condemning the country’s attacks on its neighbours.
UK citizens have been urged to shelter by the British embassy in Doha, while Qatar also warned residents via an alert to stay indoors and away from military bases.
The UK withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iran on Friday due to security worries, while staff in the British embassy in Tel Aviv and their dependents have been moved to another location by the Foreign Office.
The UK Government said its priority is ‘the safety of UK nationals’ in the Middle East but that it is ‘ready to protect our interests’.
A Government spokesperson said: ‘Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.
‘Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance, available 24/7.
‘As part of our longstanding commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East, we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.
‘We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict.’
Meanwhile, Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi has urged Iranians to prepare for an uprising and to take to the streets in the midst of the Islamic Republic’s collapse.
He warned civilians to stay at home for now and to prepare to mobilise, ready for his instructions.
Describing the US’s attacks as ‘humanitarian intervention’, he reminded security forces they had sworn to protect the Iranian people and not IS and its leaders.
He urged that if they did not switch sides, they would ‘sink’ alongside the current regime and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also warned the Iranian regime ‘must not be armed with nuclear weapons’.
‘My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago, Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.
He said the regime had ‘spilled our blood’, and ‘murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people.’
Israelis run for cover after Iran unleashed retaliatory strikes in the country
People run for cover following explosions in Tehran on Saturday
A man looks on as a plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran
An image shows smoke billowing from a building after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday morning
‘This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity,’ he said.
‘Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.
‘The time has come for all segments of the Iranian people – the Persians, the Kurds, the Azeris, the Baluchis, and the Ahwazis – to throw off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.
‘Together we will stand, together we will fight, and together we will ensure the eternity of Israel.’
In Tehran, witnesses heard the first blast by Mr Khamenei’s office on Saturday morning. Iranian state television later reported the explosion, without offering a cause.
There have also been unverified reports of explosions in other locations across Iran including Isfahan, the third biggest city, and Tabriz.
More explosions struck Iran’s capital after Israel said it was attacking the country. Authorities have offered no casualty information from the strikes.
Meanwhile, Iran shut down its airspace and mobile phone services were cut as internet access dropped by over half, according to NetBlocks.
Israel has warned its own citizens to prepare to take cover if the Iranians fight back, with sirens already being heard across Israel.
The country’s Defense Force said: ‘This is a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the State of Israel.’
Airspace above Israel was closed to civilian flights following the strike this morning.
The explosions come as tensions rose between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Earlier today, Trump denounced the regime as the ‘world’s number one stage sponsor of terror’, which had recently killed ‘tens of thousands of its own people as they protested’.
‘It has always been the police of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,’ the US president added.
Rubble and destroyed building in Tehran after US and Israeli launch strikes on the city on February 28, 2026
Smoke billows into the sky of Tehran after Israel launches a second wave of airstrikes on February 28, 2026
A woman runs with her dog for shelter in Haifa, northern Israel after the US and Israel launch strikes on Iran
‘I will say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon.’
‘This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the US armed forces,’ he later added.
He then turned his address to the ‘great proud people of Iran’, saying it was their ‘hour of freedom’ that was at hand.
Warning them to stay sheltered and at home, he urged them to ‘take’ their government after the US operation is over.
‘This will probably be your only chance for generations,’ he said. ‘For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it.’
‘No president was willing to do what I was willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is willing to give you what you want.
‘So let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.
‘Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is in your reach.
‘This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass. May god bless the brave men and women of America’s armed forces.
‘May god bless the United States of America. May god bless you all.’
British tourist stranded in Qatar: ‘I’m terrified it will get worse and we will be stuck here’
Liz Ivens
A terrified British woman trapped in Qatar saw missiles being shot down and ‘debris falling from the sky’.
‘It’s really scary. I just want to come home but we have just been told to stay inside by the British Embassy,’ she said as the bombardment started again, ‘I am frightened this is just going to get worse and we will be stuck here.’
The 56 year old from Bath was sheltering inside her house today as ‘wave after wave of bombings’ struck targets in the Arab state.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday from her home, she said she had ‘seen and heard missiles in the sky’ as Iran hit back and seen ‘huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky’ outside the capital Doha.
The Brit, who wished to remain anonymous because of her husband’s job, recently moved to Qatar where her husband now works and they live in Doha.
The pair, whose two children in their twenties are in the UK, found out about the bombings on Iran on television this morning at 10am Qatar time, which is three hours’ ahead of the UK, she said, and her husband was ‘called into work’.
‘We didn’t think too much of it and I wasn’t really concerned but within two hours it started happening. We heard the loud booms. It was pretty scary and the windows started shaking.
‘The noise is undeniable and – even if you’ve never heard a bomb before – you know what it is immediately from the huge thud. I knew it was connected to what was happening in Iran straight away.
‘You looked up into the sky and could see the plumes of smoke. Now we can see missiles being shot down. We have been told they are trying to shoot them down over the sea to stop the debris from falling over the city.’
Describing the frequency of the strikes, she said: ‘The bombing came in waves – there were three waves to begin with all in a matter of an hour and then it quietened again and then started again and that seemed very close. It has started again this evening,’ she said.
She said at first the couple weren’t sure what the target was because they were told last week that the US military base ‘had been evacuated’.
‘We didn’t have any idea where they were bombing and we do not know for sure it is the base but we are assuming it is.’
And she said fellow ex pats and other nationalities including Australians in the city were ‘keeping in touch via WhatsApp’ and that ’embassies have not been in touch with any of their citizens – just issued a memo online telling us to shelter inside’.
‘They have just told us to shelter not where to shelter or how to shelter or anything else – we would absolutely welcome some more advice,’ she said.
‘We had to find that ourselves what is happening. The only way we are getting updated is via WhatsApp groups and we are sharing any news we get with each other.
‘The British community and others are helping each other out. The airport is closed and we obviously know we can’t get out but I can’t wait to come home.’
