Expats In Qatar And UAE Shocked, Dismayed By Iran Attacks

By Nina Muslim

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 (Bernama) -- Residents in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported being largely blindsided by Iran’s attacks on the Gulf nations, as retaliation for the United States (US)-Israeli strikes on Iran yesterday.

For Malaysian Syakirah Anas, who resides in Doha with her husband and their daughter, the attacks are coming too close for comfort.

Speaking to Bernama via WhatsApp, she said the missiles appeared to pass directly over residential areas.

“The target is the Al Udeid air base (which is an hour’s drive from us). But the missiles pass over us. Some of them get intercepted right above us. We had some debris fall in our compound this morning,” she said.

So far, Syakirah and her family are safe. She said they are sheltering in the living room, keeping up to date with the news via television and the Internet.

She remains relatively unfazed by the attacks, saying that this was the third time she has seen attacks in Doha. In June 2025, Iran launched missiles at the Al Udeid air base, which hosts US forces in Qatar. 

Syakirah also said she did not expect the situation to worsen as Qatar and Iran were allies. Nevertheless, she is worried about her friends and relatives in Qatar and the UAE, especially her cousin, who recently started work in Abu Dhabi, UAE, one of the places targeted.

“It’s quite intense there as (Abu Dhabi is) really close to the US air base,” she said, adding that her cousin has been in touch with her.

Bernama tried contacting her cousin but received no response at press time.

Residents in the UAE told Bernama that they were shocked to see the missiles being intercepted.

The Gulf Pulse founder and editor-in-chief Asma Zain, a journalist from Pakistan who lives and works in the UAE, said via WhatsApp that she had always thought the UAE was safe.

“The situation is pretty grim. It’s never been like this. People are panicked,” she said.

Asma said that although the place she lives, Sharjah, the emirate north of Dubai, is relatively quiet, she said she could still see and hear what was going on in Dubai.

“There were loud bangs, which were apparently from the missiles being intercepted at night. This morning, I saw a black cloud over the sky, right in front of my building,” she said.

According to Asma, community group chats have been flooded with emergency preparedness advice, including tips on calming children, preparing basic medical supplies, charging electronic devices, and packing essential items in case evacuation becomes necessary. She said that while the authorities have been keeping them abreast of the situation, they have not been providing usable safety tips. 

“The only thing they say is look for the nearest, safest shelter. But they haven’t pointed out which shelters these are,” she said, adding she hoped the situation would improve soon. 

Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday, followed by Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory and US military facilities in the region.

-- BERNAMA