The United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that killed Tehran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a sharp escalation of tensions and widespread airspace closures, paralyzing travel at major hubs in the Gulf, and commercial airlines have suspended most regional services across the Middle East.Iran retaliated with barrage of missiles, firing projectiles and interceptors at key Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Some countries have temporarily closed their airspace, forcing thousands of stranded travelers to chart their own routes out of the region.
With airports closed and flights grounded, many people have had to travel long distances across deserts, cross multiple border crossings and buy expensive last-minute tickets.“You wake up in the morning and find that the missile has been intercepted”One of those caught up in the chaos was Kalie Moore, who was stranded in Doha after returning from a trip to Kenya. As she was about to board a connecting flight to Berlin, Qatar closed its airspace and missiles flew overhead.After waiting with thousands of passengers at the airport, Moore checked into a nearby hotel, where staff advised guests to stay indoors.“It’s actually pretty crazy because you wake up in the morning and find missiles intercepted,” Moore told Bloomberg.Realizing that flights would not resume anytime soon, she decided to leave Qatar by land Saudi Arabiaair operations there are still ongoing. She teamed up with another traveler and hired a driver for $1,000 to take them on the six-hour journey to Riyadh.While stories circulate online of influencers escaping in luxury cars and private jets, Moore’s journey was far less glamorous. The pair traveled in an old Toyota, switching cars and drivers at the border and eating at roadside gas stations.Moore traveled from Riyadh, booked a British Airways flight through London and paid an extra $2,000 to get home. Her experience mirrors that of many others, including European officials and athletes stranded after events in Dubai.
“The Oman border is closed”The U.S. State Department’s advice urging Americans to leave several Middle Eastern countries has gone viral. Many expats in Dubai contacted their employers to inquire whether evacuation plans would be initiated.Some companies have already begun relocating workers. Macquarie Group is moving some of its staff out of Dubai overland via Saudi Arabia and Oman.Two main exit routes have emerged: driving to Saudi Arabia or heading to Muscat International Airport, which remains operational. The journey from Dubai to Muscat takes less than five hours, but travelers report long traffic jams and unstable border conditions.“One day everything opened up and there were no lines,” Karim Gharbi, head of private jet concierge and global mobility services at Arton Capital, told Bloomberg.“There were too many people going the next day, and then the Omani border was closed,” said Karim, whose company helped relocate more than 40 people, including family members. Some are accompanied by bodyguards to assist with border formalities.“You heard the explosion – it’s time to go”Thierry Carbou, a French-Canadian tech entrepreneur who had lived in Dubai for 15 years, was having lunch at a beach club when he heard an explosion above him.When he returned to his apartment in the Burj Khalifa and spoke with his family, an explosion occurred on the nearby City Walk. “You’d hear a huge explosion and then black smoke,” he said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘OK, it’s time to go,'” he added.Will Bailey, a 26-year-old fitness trainer and influencer from Manchester, had just returned to Dubai to start a new business when the strike began. Posting from a beach club as air defenses intercepted missiles overhead, he pointed to smoke rising from a nearby building and said: “That’s the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai. OMG. “Bailey’s update was praised by followers for capturing the unfolding crisis, but also criticized by some in the UK.
‘It’s such a scary moment’The situation has sparked debate in the UK over whether expatriates should be included in government evacuations.In Parliament, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey questioned whether “old washed-up footballers” and others who emigrate to avoid high taxes should receive state-funded evacuation support.Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded by saying all British citizens were entitled to assistance regardless of their tax status.Entrepreneur Duncan Bannatien defended Dubai residents on social media, writing, “As far as I know, not a single Dubai resident has expressed a desire to leave. Those Brits who need to leave are in Dubai on holiday or on business.”Reality TV personality Arabella Chi said: “It’s such a scary time right now.”life goes onDespite the tensions, daily life in parts of the UAE maintains an air of normalcy. Hotels remained open and beaches were active despite missile interceptions lighting up the night sky. Bailey later moved with friends to a home away from tourist areas and continued to post updates.“There are a lot of people in Dubai who don’t take this as seriously as others,” he said in a radio interview, interrupted by another interception, saying, “I’m shaking right now when I hear that.”As regional tensions remain high and airspace continues to remain closed, thousands of travelers and expats face uncertain days ahead not only navigating borders and highways, but also dealing with a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
