Dubai has long promoted itself as a place of stability in a region often affected by conflict. The city built its reputation around luxury tourism, global finance, and modern infrastructure while staying largely distant from wars in the Middle East. But now, the conflict has reached its doorstep. Nearly two weeks after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, waves of Iranian missiles and drones have targeted several areas across West Asia. Among the countries affected, the United Arab Emirates has faced some of the most frequent attacks.
According to Emirati officials, more than 1,700 missiles and drones have been launched toward the UAE since the conflict began. Air defense systems intercepted most of them, but some strikes and falling debris still caused damage in densely populated parts of the city. Homes, offices, and roads have been hit, resulting in four civilian deaths and dozens of injuries. The psychological impact of these attacks may be as serious as the physical damage for a city known worldwide as a safe destination for business and tourism.
Why Iran Is Targeting Dubai
Experts say Dubai represents more than just a military target. “Dubai is the epicenter of globalization,” Fawaz Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, told CNN. “Iranian leaders view it as a symbol of the Western-led economic order. If you rattle Dubai, you rattle confidence in the entire system.”
Images showing smoke rising nearDubai International Airport and debris falling close to luxury hotels quickly spread around the world. Thousands of expatriates and tourists have been lining up at the airport trying to leave the city after airspace closures caused by repeated Iranian attacks.
The strikes also highlight a complicated economic relationship. The UAE has long served as an important trade gateway for Iran, especially during periods when Tehran faced international sanctions. Iranian businesses frequently use Dubai as a trading hub. In 2024, trade between Iran and the UAE reached about $28 billion, making the Emirates Iran’s second-largest trading partner after China.
Iran, however, has said the attacks are directed at the United States rather than Gulf countries. The UAE hosts American military facilities and has invested heavily in US-made defense systems.
Those systems — including advanced missile defenses and fighter jets — are now crucial in protecting Emirati cities from incoming attacks.
What Iran Aimed to Achieve
From Iran’s perspective, the UAE has strategic importance in the current conflict. “By striking the UAE, Iran is targeting a key US partner while also sending a message about vulnerability,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East program at Chatham House, told The Washington Post.
The UAE hosts millions of expatriates and operates as a global hub for finance, aviation, and trade. Any attack on the country therefore has consequences far beyond the Gulf region.
Geography also plays an important role. The UAE lies only about 100 kilometers across the Persian Gulf from Iran, making it one of the closest and easiest targets for missiles and drones. “It’s literally next door,” Gerges said. “Reaching Dubai is far easier than reaching more distant targets.”
When the conflict began, many residents across Gulf countries initially criticized the US and Israel for launching strikes that risked expanding the war. Public sentiment changed quickly once Iranian missiles began falling across the region.
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