“We are staying indoors as much as possible and trying to remain as calm as we can.” This is how Benedetta Pasero, an Italian journalist based in Dubai and a contributor to 9Colonne, describes the hours following the attack on the city after Iran’s retaliation. “We can hear and see missiles flying above our heads,” Pasero says. “We are aware that we are not the targets of these attacks, so we feel relatively calm—at least as calm as one can be in a situation like this.”
According to Pasero, the Emirati government has been in constant contact with residents, sending warning messages, offering reassurance, and explaining the loud explosions. “Before the blasts, we are told to stay away from doors and windows and are clearly informed about what to worry about and what not to,” she explains.
The situation has evolved in recent hours. “Since yesterday afternoon, air defense missiles have mostly been launched from aircraft rather than ground bases, in an effort to intercept ballistic missiles over the sea so that debris does not reach the city,” she says. “We are hearing fewer explosions—although there were still three very loud ones today—but we can hear many aircraft, even if we can’t see them.”
This strategy has nevertheless caused incidents in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, where debris from missiles intercepted over the sea has fallen on beachfront homes.
Italian institutions are also maintaining close contact with citizens. “The Embassy and the Consulate constantly update their websites and social media channels with the same instructions sent by the Emirati government via SMS,” Pasero adds. “They also continue to share emergency phone numbers so we can reach them quickly if real problems arise.”