Letter from Dubai: A safe haven under fire

Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy

For a city that markets itself as a paradise of sunshine, luxury shopping and architectural spectacle, the experience of living under missile attack is a nerve-stretching one. Since early March, Dubai and the wider UAE have found themselves under regular Iranian missile and drone strikes as the war between Iran, Israel and the US spreads across the Gulf. Interceptor explosions and emergency alerts have become part of the daily routine in a city better known for beach resorts and business conferences. The contrast is jarring. Dubai has long presented itself to the world as the region’s ultimate safe haven—a neutral commercial hub, the ‘Switzerland of the Gulf’—where geopolitics are kept caref