A local woman on a family holiday in Dubai has described the terror of watching missiles streak across the night sky as Iran launched a barrage of attacks across the region in response to a massive US–Israeli assault earlier today.
Local digital media creator and mum-of-two, Denise Curran, is staying in the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) area with her husband and young children.
Speaking from their apartment this evening, she told her thousands of followers she is “absolutely distraught” and doing everything she can to shield her children from the unfolding chaos.
“We have witnessed it. We’ve heard them,” she said, fighting back tears.
“We’re in Dubai right now. We’re in JBR, on a family holiday. We went out for something to eat early on and we were told to go home, close your doors, and don’t be close to windows.
“I am just worrying about the children, I’m trying to be so strong for them. It is so worrying. I heard the missiles or bombs or whatever they are, and I saw them, and we saw them in the sky – like shooting stars, only like bombs. Please pray for us.”
Denise then posted: “I’m sick to my stomach. My mouth is dry.
“I close the doors so I can’t hear the big noises. I’m being a mummy right now and trying to distract my children from any noises or hurt.
“I am so scared. Oh, my God, please, please. Like, what the f*** is going on in this world? I am just so worried for my children.”
The family, like many others in Dubai earlier tonight, have been instructed to stay indoors as the United Arab Emirates confirms it has intercepted incoming Iranian missiles.
In scenes few imagined possible in the UAE’s commercial capital, people were filmed running for shelter as air raid sirens sounded over Dubai, with at least three large blasts heard over the city, according to witnesses quoted by Reuters.
Denise said the surreal contrast between the family’s sunshine break and the sound of explosions has been difficult to process.
Among the most dramatic incidents in Dubai earlier today was a fire near the entrance of the luxury Fairmont The Palm hotel – just a few kilometres from where Denise and her family are stating – after debris reportedly fell from the sky during the Iranian missile attack.
Photos and videos shared on social media – and verified by various media outlets – showed a large blaze and thick smoke rising from outside the building on the Palm Jumeirah.
It was confirmed that four people were injured and taken to hospital.
Further along the coast, a series of explosions were also heard in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE’s defence ministry said the country had “successfully” intercepted Iranian missiles, but confirmed that one person was killed in a residential area by falling debris.
In a statement, the ministry “affirmed its full readiness and preparedness to deal with any threats, stressing that all necessary measures are being taken to firmly confront any attempts to undermine the country’s security and stability”.
The chaos in the Gulf comes after the United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated assault on Iran earlier today, February 28, targeting what they say is the country’s military and nuclear infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” under the codename Operation Epic Fury, while Israel launched its own strikes under Operation Genesis.
Hundreds of sites were hit across 24 Iranian provinces, including ballistic missile stockpiles, nuclear facilities and bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan and Karaj.
Strikes also hit the compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Iran International and Israeli sources have suggested he may have been killed, though this has not been independently confirmed.
Tehran responded with “hundreds” of missiles and drones, targeting US military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, as well as sites in Israel.
