Explosions were heard in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Saturday, hours after the US and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that an Asian national, a civilian, was killed by falling missile debris in a residential area of Abu Dhabi. "Such acts constitute a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that threatens the safety of civilians and undermines stability," the ministry said.
Reuters reported that loud booms were heard across Abu Dhabi, and some residents received a phone alert telling them to shelter in the closest secure building and stay away from windows because of missile threats. A video, reportedly from Abu Dhabi, shows people running to take cover with a smoke cloud rising in the air in the background.
Witnesses in Dubai also reported seeing missiles streak across the sky. "It was a big explosion, and it made the windows shake," one witness told AFP.
As visuals of the strikes surfaced online, panic began to spread. "Leave Dubai and Abu Dhabi now," said an X user, while "My security sources say explosions just reported in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. I'm still not concerned at all about Gulf Countries' safety. Approaching 20 years in Middle East - you learn to see through the theatre. Reality is its still much safer in Dubai than London / Chicago," wrote a Dubai resident.
Some users shared visuals of Iranian missiles being intercepted over Abu Dhabi.
Images of massive traffic jams in Dubai also circulated, with some claiming residents were attempting to flee the city amidst the strikes. NDTV could not independently verify if the jam was due to the strikes.
