Even with the UAE under attack, most expats feel safe, say they’re not leaving

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For the first time in its history, the United Arab Emirates, long regarded as a haven of stability in a volatile region, has come under direct attack.

After the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran Saturday, the UAE’s airports, hotels and infrastructure are suddenly in the line of fire.

Home to 200 nationalities and about 60,000 Canadians, the UAE’s mainly expatriate population felt palpable fear after waves of missiles and drones targeted the country Saturday. By Sunday morning, calm had started to return.

By the afternoon, the UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that its air force and air defence forces had so far dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones.

Although Iran said U.S. bases were the intended targets, falling debris caused fires at high-profile civilian sites, including the Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports, the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai and the Fairmont Hotel on Palm Jumeirah. As of Sunday, three civilian deaths had been reported, with 58 more people injured.

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The scale of the attack was unprecedented, affecting all Gulf Cooperation Council countries except Oman, a key partner in mediating talks between Iran and the U.S. Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi – two of the seven emirates that comprise the UAE – shock gave way to deliberate composure.

Canadian expatriate Niya Abdullahi has lived in the UAE for a year and a half. Even after a sleepless night punctuated by explosions, she said she feels “super safe.”

“It’s safer than Canada usually – and much safer than Toronto, where I’m from.”

Saturday, however, was something entirely new. “The booms have been ongoing, and it’s Ramadan too, so even when I woke up for my Suhour, I heard it again,” she said. “I’m Muslim, and I’m just praying that it will get better.”

From her apartment in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, she described hearing “scary roars” overhead – noises she initially associated with fireworks.

“I feel safer than if I were experiencing war in another country, but still, it’s terrifying, as I never experienced anything like this in my life.”

Airspace is temporarily closed, public events have been cancelled, and schools have shifted online. Despite quieter roads, grocery stores stayed stocked, and government alerts were direct.

“Now I’m thinking, what if the airspace doesn’t open?” Ms. Abdullahi said. “They’re saying it’s safer in Oman, so if the airport isn’t an option, we are exploring the options to go to Oman to lay low for a while.”

Others are not thinking about leaving. Instead, they are preparing for what may be in store.

Rob Duncan, a Canadian educator from Ontario who has lived in the UAE for 12 years, described watching interceptors streak across the sky, the booms rattling his windows.

“We’ve stocked up on essentials like food and water,” he said.

“It’s daunting, but we know they’re not targeting civilians. The incident on the Palm was the scariest. I have faith in the UAE, and security here makes you feel safe. If this continues, the most challenging part will be securing family supplies. Right now, I believe we’ll get through it in a few days.”

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That confidence, rooted in experience, is echoed by long-term residents of the UAE, who are lured by a high standard of living, tax-free income and year-round sunshine.

Reem Hamid, a Canadian business owner who has lived here for 18 years, contrasts Saturday’s events with her earlier life in Iraq. “It’s much safer here than when I lived in Iraq,” she said.

“I was out yesterday when the first missile was intercepted, so I felt the reverberations. We all know now that it’s the American military areas that are the targets, so we understand that’s why you hear more noise in those areas. You’re all on alert, but it’s been quiet for a while. It’s not our first rodeo.”

She credits the UAE’s robust defence network. “We are in 2026, with a Ministry of Defence and comprehensive defence system. We must stay grounded to get through this. For 18 years, this country has taken care of us, and that trust is well earned.”

“I feel extremely safe, and life goes on. Everyone should proceed with life as usual, unless the government tells you otherwise.”

On Sunday, apart from attending her church service online, her routine continued as usual. “Otherwise, I’m going to the gym, and we have a memorial for a friend’s mom who passed away a year ago, and we are keeping life moving as peacefully as possible.”

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It is this faith in the security of the country that leads so many tourists to come to the UAE each year, with 19.6 million visiting Dubai alone last year. Abu Dhabi is consistently voted the world’s safest city, and the latest Numbeo index names the UAE as the world’s safest country.

For Anne Peterson, a mother of six-year-old twins who has lived in the UAE for 15 years, the day was emotionally taxing. Explosions overhead terrified her daughters.

“Our girls instantly burst into tears. It was undeniably tense as we rushed home to seek shelter,” she said. Later that night, “the loudest bang came at [40 minutes past midnight], again directly above us. … This was by far the scariest part of the day.”

And yet, she said, “I have great belief in the defence system.”

“Our worry hasn’t necessarily been being struck by the missiles themselves, but by falling debris from the interceptions,” she added.

Asma Bahassan, born and raised in the UAE, described windows rattling in Mirdif, near Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest passenger airport.

But what stood out to her was the community’s solidarity. There was “a mix of concern and mainly composure because we have a lot of faith in the leaders of the UAE, we know we will be kept safe. The UAE has a long history of stability, and there is trust in the leadership and the systems in place.”