"It was like a scene from a movie. Suddenly, there were three very loud bangs. My dog felt the shocks really hard and jumped up. I have an injury to my knee, so I could not run home fast," one Belgian resident in Dubai told The Brussels Times on Monday.
Known as a sanctuary for luxury-seekers, Dubai – the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – has been anything but quiet since last weekend.
Expats and locals alike have been spending three days indoors, as the city is targeted by missiles and drones launched by Iran in response to an ongoing joint attack by the United States and Israel.
On Saturday, the two countries launched a coordinated attack on various sites in Iran, targeting key officials and facilities and leading to the assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has launched a series of attacks across the Middle East.
Mariam Mizaty, 31, lived most of her life in Brussels but moved to Dubai with her husband in 2024. On Saturday, she was walking her dog when the first strikes hit the city.
'Surreal'
Videocalling from her home in the city on Monday, Mizaty explains that she saw many residents watching what was happening on their balconies. About 20 minutes later, sirens went off in the entire city, signalling that everyone should go inside.
"Around 19:00, I was on the phone with my husband when I heard noise outside," she says. "I went to my balcony and saw missiles going in the direction of the Palm."
She is referring to the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai's iconic man-made archipelago in the shape of a palm leaf on the city's shoreline. The five-star world-famous Fairmont hotel on the archipelago was struck by a large explosion.
"Several minutes later, I saw videos and images circulating online showing fires and a hotel being hit. I probably saw the missiles that did that. It was incredibly surreal to see," Mizaty said.
Authorities have said that debris from an intercepted drone resulted in a "minor fire" at the five-star Burj Al Arab hotel. Dubai's international airport (one of the busiest in the world) was hit as well.
Mariam Mizaty (left), Dubai's iconic Palm Jumeirah (middle), traces of dismantled rockets. Credit: Mariam Mizaty/Wikimedia
While she describes Sunday as "very calm, especially compared to the day before," she stresses that the atmosphere was more eerie than relaxed. "The government and the Belgian Embassy recommend keeping windows closed and staying at least two metres away from them. It is a kind of scary feeling."
On Monday morning, Mizaty heard the loudest shock so far: between 08:00 and 09:00. "The sound was very loud, and the air smelled strongly of fire. But apparently, that is because the jets are flying so low that you can smell their engines."
Mizaty says that she does not feel entirely safe right now, partly because her husband was in the US for work and could not immediately find a way to return home after the strikes started on Friday.
Still, she is not really considering returning to Belgium.
"I am here with my pets, I have my life here. I cannot just up and leave. My family has been telling me to return, but I cannot just leave like that," she says. "But there is a great sense of community here, which really helps."
From panic-buying to sunbathing
In some ways, Mizaty says that the situation reminds her of the Covid-19 pandemic several years ago. "Many people are panic-buying. The government has already made it clear that it is not necessary and only creates more chaos, but people still do it."
Fake news and misinformation are going around as well – AI videos of buildings collapsing or incorrect and unverified information being shared.
Luckily, she says, the Belgian Embassy in the UAE is incredibly proactive and helpful in terms of communication. From the first moment, it communicated the information directly and clearly to the community of 3,000 to 4,500 Belgians living in the country.
"There's a WhatsApp group where official news reports are shared, and there is an emergency hotline, so that is very good," Mizaty says.
While there are police patrols on the streets, she is still seeing lots of tourists sunbathing on the beach. "It is really strange to see, and it could be very dangerous."
Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés). Credit: Belga/Dirk Waem
On its website, Belgium's Foreign Affairs Ministry is currently advising against travel to the UAE as the situation "remains uncertain."
Belgians staying in the UAE are advised to remain vigilant and to avoid non-essential journeys, strictly follow the instructions of the local authorities, follow the news via reliable media and via the UAE's official government accounts on social media, avoid large gatherings and stay out of the vicinity of military installations.
On Sunday, Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) said that he is in contact with Belgium's partners in the region, and called for intensive European coordination, particularly on consular matters, to jointly support Belgian and European citizens stranded in the region.
"We are examining all options to best assist our nationals, taking into account security conditions, including the status of airspaces. I urge our citizens to follow the instructions of local authorities closely," Prévot said in a statement.
'Belgium will help us'
The Foreign Affairs Council unanimously stated that the Iranian attacks against several countries in the region are "inexcusable," while calling for restraint, the protection of civilians, and respect for international law.
"The escalation must stop. The consequences for the Middle East, for Europe, and for the global economy would be incalculable," Prévot said.
"We also express our full solidarity with our partners in the region, with whom I am in contact, and with their populations under relentless bombardment," he added.
Meanwhile, Mizaty hopes that the conflict will be over soon. "I am staying calm, but the question is: do we want to live so close to Iran? Do we want to live in this region, which is not a safe zone, especially now?"
"It is frightening, but expat or Emirati, everyone is being taken care of. I hope it stays that way," she said. "And if it escalates, Belgium will help us."
