‘Missiles were flying past our hotel’: UK tourists trapped in Dubai voice fears as Gulf conflict intensifies
When British citizens Alison Woodward, 71, and Gul Woodward, 70, boarded a flight to Dubai last week, they were expecting a beach holiday, plenty of sun, and a birthday celebration. But within days, they found themselves caught in a rapidly escalating regional conflict that has grounded flights across the Gulf and left thousands stranded.
What began as a short holiday for the pair has become an anxious wait, punctuated by the sight of missile and drone interceptions unfolding in the skies above Dubai.
“It was really scary. We were shaking,” Alison told The Independent, describing the air alerts and loud explosions that have echoed across Dubai since Saturday morning, hours after coordinated US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks on key US allies in the region.
The conflict has since disrupted aviation across much of the Middle East. Several Gulf states have temporarily closed their airspace as Iran continues to launch strikes on both military and civilian targets in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Authorities on Saturday said Iran launched 137 missiles and 209 drones at the UAE, most of which were intercepted.
Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs, remains closed after what was reported to be an Iranian strike, in which authorities confirmed four people were injured.
On Sunday, an explosion near the airport sent a thick plume of black smoke into the air as a fresh wave of Iranian strikes rocked the Gulf states.
In Abu Dhabi, authorities confirmed that an incident at Zayed International airport resulted in one death and seven injuries. Residential buildings, air traffic hubs, ports and urban areas have also been hit across several Gulf states.
Alison and Gul are among thousands of travellers now stranded in Dubai, a glitzy tourist destination considered one of the safest in the world. The emirate, also a global business hub, attracted nearly 20 million tourists in 2025, according to government figures.
“We flew into Dubai on February 25 and were supposed to fly back on March 2 after celebrating Gul’s birthday,” Alison, whose son and family lives in Dubai Marina, said. The pair had checked travel advisories before departure and found no warnings that suggested imminent danger.
“We did not see this coming,” she said. “At least we’re staying with family and not stuck in a hotel like many others. That’s a big relief.”
Living in a high-rise, a common feature of Dubai’s upscale neighbourhoods, has brought its own anxieties.
“We’re on the 17th floor, and that doesn’t feel very safe,” Gul said. “The government’s safety advice is to shelter indoors and stay away from glass windows. But the entire building is a glass façade.”
On Sunday, when sirens warned of an incoming missile, the two women hurried downstairs to the lobby, where they remained for several hours.
Though they insist there is no panic and they are trying to remain calm, both say they want to return home as soon as possible.
