Credit Photo. Reuters
The Gulf’s commercial and tourist hub of Dubai is facing its biggest ever threat to its existence, after the escalating war between the United States, Israel and Iran shook the city to its foundations, causing thousands of foreigners and tourists to flee the country in a hurry.
Political and security analysts believe the UAE is being targeted because of its deep intelligence and military ties to Israel, Western powers, and its global status as a commercial and tourist hub.
“The city has literally lost its charm,” said John Trudinger to the media, a British school principal who has lived in Dubai for 16 years.
Trudinger, who employs more than 100 teachers, said many of his staff were so traumatized by the sudden war that they left the country with no plans to return.
The people are among the tens of thousands who have fled Dubai since the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran nearly two weeks ago.
Every day, alerts are sent to residents’ mobile phones, warning of potential missile threats and urging them to seek shelter and stay away from windows.
The UAE’s sophisticated air defence systems have intercepted more than 90 percent of the 1,700 missiles fired by Iran.
However, some of the missiles missed the defense shield, hitting key locations such as military bases, industrial complexes, and Dubai International Airport, crippling one of the world’s busiest airports.
The strikes on two data centers temporarily left people unable to use their phones to make payments, a major setback for a largely cashless society.
The devastation has also reached the city’s most expensive areas. The iconic Fairmont hotel in the heart of Dubai