Moldovan woman in Dubai: “Take shelter, stay from windows—panic everywhere”
A Moldovan woman in Dubai reported receiving phone alerts overnight, urging people to seek shelter and stay away from windows. This caused moments of panic in the hotel near the airport.
The woman reported that tourists, including families with children, quickly evacuated their hotel rooms and gathered in the stairwells or auxiliary rooms. Most appeared to remain calm.
“This morning is not as good as yesterday. Last night, we received several alert text messages advising us to seek shelter, go outside, and move away from the windows. Naturally, there was a bit of panic. Our hotel is near the airport, which has attracted many tourists, including families with children and those travelling with luggage. Many were sitting in auxiliary rooms or on the stairs. However, everyone seemed quite calm, engaged on their phones, discussing their own matters, with calm expressions on their faces. It seems many have experienced such situations. Others were singing songs or calmly feeding their children. For some tourists experiencing this for the first time, there was likely a hint of panic on their faces. Our neighbors stayed inside, saying their children were asleep. Overall, everything is quiet and calm for us right now. Yes, we’ve heard reports that the airport is being targeted again, but I am confident that everything will be resolved. It simply has to be. Soon, we will be home," said Samarita Bolerova in a video message posted on her Facebook page.
Two series of explosions were heard in Dubai on Sunday morning, March 1, just two days after Iran began its retaliatory attacks in the Gulf in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. According to AFP correspondents in Dubai, the first series of explosions occurred earlier in the night, and similar sounds were reported in Doha, Qatar, and the Bahraini capital, Manama.
On Sunday morning, a black column of smoke was spotted in Doha following several loud explosions. The plume of smoke was visible in the southern part of the city after Iran targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf states using missiles and drones in retaliation for the strikes that killed Khamenei.
Thousands of people gathered in Tehran's iconic Enghelab Square on Sunday to mourn the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the airstrikes on Saturday. This event sparked chaos in the region as Tehran responded with missile strikes against Israel and Gulf states.
Many demonstrators, mostly dressed in black, were seen weeping and waving portraits of Khamenei, who has ruled Iran since 1989. They chanted slogans such as "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" while surrounded by flags of the Islamic Republic.
State media announced a 40-day period of public mourning and declared seven days of public holidays.
In response to the attacks by the U.S. and Israel, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on neighboring Gulf states, targeting various locations.
