'I'm so scared': Dubai expats anxiously await return of family stuck in war zones
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.]
For Iranian expat HM, the past week in her Dubai home has been a nightmare. Her parents, who were supposed to return after a short trip to their hometown of Shiraz, have been stuck there since the start of the conflict between Iran and Israel.
'I am worried,' she told Khaleej Times. 'My parents were supposed to return this week, but flights have been suspended. Thankfully, they're safe and so far, everything is calm in their area.'
She said she checks in with her parents daily. 'Although parts of Tehran have been hit, daily life in many other cities, like Shiraz, seems to be continuing with caution but without chaos,' she said. 'Internet connectivity has taken a hit in some regions, making it harder to get real-time updates. Many are relying on phone calls or VPNs to stay in touch with the outside world.'
HM is one of the many UAE expats who are worried about their families in war zones as the region has seen an escalation of conflict. On Friday, Israel launched strikes on Iran targeting high-value sites including missile factories, nuclear facilities, and top Iranian military leaders. Main figures of Iran's top military brass were killed in the attack, including the armed forces' chief of staff, Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Now in its seventh day, the war continues with US looking set to join Israel in attacking Iran.
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HM added that her parents are trying to book flights or ferry services to return to the UAE, but everything is either fully booked or canceled until early July. 'I am now alone at my home with my cat,' she said. 'I go to work every day and try to maintain my normal routine but inside I feel empty. I am so scared. I hope someone can mediate some talk and end this conflict. No one wants a war. Everyone wants to just live peacefully.'
Keeping a close eye
Dubai resident Dana, who has her family home in Israel, said she and her friends were 'keeping a close eye' on the developments in the region. 'The situation is tense, but we've been in touch with our families,' she said. 'They're getting into the shelters when needed and are doing their best to stay safe.'
On Thursday, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said that at least 47 people were injured in Iran's latest missile strikes, and 18 more injured 'while running to shelter'. Meanwhile Iranian missiles also hit a hospital in the south of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran would "pay a heavy price" for hitting the Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva.
'I just want her home'
For 75-year-old expat Ahmed, the only thing he wants right now is his daughter to come back to Dubai. 'She travels around a lot and was in Tehran when the war broke out,' he said. 'Two days ago, she left Tehran along with her family to move to the north of Iran. All the residents of Tehran have been asked to move north. There are almost 10 million people there. How will they all evacuate?'
He added that most families are struggling because there is a rationing of fuel. 'Everyone gets about 15 litres of fuel,' he said. 'How long will they travel with that? It doesn't get you very far.'
The Israeli military said it had targeted the nuclear reactor in the area of Arak in Iran overnight and struck what it called a nuclear weapons development site in the area of Natanz. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country has remained committed to "diplomacy" but will continue to act in "self-defence".
Another expat who did not want to reveal any of her details admitted that he has been unable to contact his family, who live in Tehran, for two days and that he was worried about their safety.
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