Brits in the UAE have been told to stay indoors after Iranian attacks on Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has urged British citizens to “move indoors and remain inside”.
“You should stay indoors or go to the nearest safe building”, the embassy says in a statement on X, which it says applied from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT).
“Stay away from windows. An interior stairwell or a room with as few windows as possible may offer additional protection”, the warning also added.
The embassy is advising British citizens to follow the instructions of the local authorities in the UAE.
In the days that followed the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its travel guidance for the UAE amid the turmoil of the Middle East conflict, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. As the conflict enters its sixth day, an estimated 300,000 Brits are are believed to be in affected regions of the Middle East.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled so far, and as of Wednesday (March 4), the status for the entire United Arab Emirates is “advise against all but essential travel”. Brits in the UAE are also being urged to remain indoors in a secure location and monitor their phones for emergency air raid alerts from the UAE Ministry of the Interior. If an alert sounds, move to the lowest possible floor and stay away from glass.
Those who are in the UAE should register their presence with the UK Government. There are a limited number of commercial options available, including by air from UAE and from Oman.
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Two British holidaymakers who anticipated spending merely three hours in Dubai claim they are now stranded in the Gulf metropolis indefinitely. Alfie Hughes and Callum Brody were journeying back from Manila when their brief stopover in Dubai transformed into a prolonged visit after flights were suspended amid rising tensions across the Middle East.
Other Brits who were stranded in Dubai during the conflict have shared their terrifying experiences, fearing for their lives before they were repatriated. Yesterday (March 5), families were overcome with emotion, shedding tears of relief as they reunited with their loved ones, who landed at Edinburgh Airport at 8.12pm.
Victoria Cameron, 57, originally from South Africa but now living in Larkhall, is partially deaf, and was greeted with a bouquet of flowers from her husband, Brian Cameron. Talking about the initial missile strikes on Saturday, she said: “I thought it was a firework. Then we saw the second one, then the third one and we started screaming and the hotel staff said ‘run, run, run.’