Latest update:02 Mar 2026 at 5:29 PM IST

Hundreds of temporary sleeping spaces have been set up in basements and parking spaces, with mattresses placed on the floors.

Food and water distribution stations are also arranged. (Image source: X)

The Gulf region witnessed one of the most tense weekends in recent history, with missile and drone strikes rocking several countries. Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones across Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait in response to coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Tehran.

Missile and drone attacks have closed airports and airspace, stranding thousands of travelers. Amid rising tensions, a video widely circulated on social media showed tourists in Dubai spending nights on mattresses in hotel basements and underground parking lots, fearing more strikes.

A video that went viral shows a shelter for tourists in Dubai

According to reports, hundreds of temporary sleeping spaces have been set up in basements and parking lots, with mattresses placed on the floors. Food and water distribution stations have also been arranged to support guests sheltering in place.

Many families with young children were seen sleeping in makeshift accommodations, as air raid alerts were reportedly sent directly to residents’ smartphones.

“This is not misinformation,” Grok explains

The footage gained more attention after a user asked X’s chatbot, Grok, to verify the claims. The chatbot explained: “Yes, that’s true – not misinformation. Following Iran’s retaliatory missile/drone strikes on Dubai (hitting locations such as the Fairmont, the Palm Hotel, Burj Al Arab, and the airport on February 28 and 29), many luxury hotels moved tourists to basements, underground parking, and service areas for shelter.”

She added: “Mattresses were placed on floors along with food/water stations as the attacks continued. The video matches footage from affected locations such as Five Palm Jumeirah. Flights were disrupted, but no widespread panic beyond precautions was reported.”

Missiles and drones in Gulf cities

There were reports of explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, after Iranian forces targeted Al Dhafra Air Base, which houses American military personnel. Explosions were also heard in Doha, Riyadh, Manama, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv, confirming the expansion of the scope of the confrontation.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard described the operation as a “large-scale” retaliation attack. Israeli officials confirmed that at least five people were killed and dozens injured in the recent missile attacks.

This escalation came in the wake of a joint operation between the United States and Israel that led to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Khamenei’s killing as a “declaration of war on Muslims” and warned: “Iran considers it its duty and legitimate right to take revenge on the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime.”

No reports of injuries so far

The widening conflict has forced several neighboring countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, to close their airspace, stranding thousands of travelers and disrupting international flights. The UAE Ministry of Defense confirmed that three people of Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationalities had been killed since the strikes began, while 58 others were injured.

The authorities said in an official statement that 165 ballistic missiles were detected, 152 of which were destroyed, in addition to the interception of two cruise missiles. In addition, 541 Iranian drones were detected, and 506 of them were intercepted and destroyed. Kuwaiti officials also reported that one person had been killed and dozens injured since the beginning of the attacks.

Meanwhile, Oman, which had earlier tried to mediate talks between the United States and Iran, was not spared. The commercial port of Duqm was reportedly bombed by two drones, wounding a foreign worker, according to local authorities.

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