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In the days since the U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran, Iran has retaliated by firing thousands of missiles and drones at Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab countries. But new data show how Iran has targeted one of those Gulf nations a lot more than the others. That's the United Arab Emirates. That's where NPR international correspondent Aya Batrawy is based, and she brings us this report on how the UAE has been caught in the crossfire.
AYA BATRAWY, BYLINE: Soon after the U.S. and Israel launched war on Iran, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Dubai's skies quaked with a loud, unfamiliar boom.
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BATRAWY: That sound of a missile being intercepted is unprecedented here. Dubai had never come under missile attack until now. On the first night of the war, phones nationwide rang out with the sound of emergency alerts, warning of more incoming missiles.
Right now, it is pretty late here in Dubai. It is 12:40 a.m. And we're getting these alerts on our phones. We've just been hearing these interception explosions overhead. This is at least the third wave of missile attacks on Dubai today.
Debris from missile interceptions and drones sparked fires at five-star hotels, including on Dubai's palm-shaped artificial island. Dubai's airport, which is the world's busiest for international travel, was also hit by a drone. Thousands of flights were canceled, and schools switched to remote learning. Iran's attacks also targeted Amazon data centers, knocking out phone banking services across much of the country.
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BATRAWY: The military here says the sound of fighter jets overhead and interceptions are proof that the UAE's air defenses, which include U.S.- and Israeli-made systems, are solid. In just the first week of this war, the UAE says it intercepted nearly 200 missiles and more than 1,000 drones from Iran. Data compiled by Horizon's (ph) Insights, based on statements from governments across the region, shows the UAE is by far the most targeted country in the region by Iran.
RYAN BOHL: To send the signal that Iran was going to disrupt the world as much as possible, the UAE became the prime target.
BATRAWY: That's Ryan Bohl, a senior analyst at geopolitical risk intelligence firm RANE. He says Iran is seeking maximum economic disruption in energy markets in the region. So while it targets U.S. troops in the Gulf, it's also hitting oil facilities, ships and commercial ports. The UAE's reputation as a global financial hub and safe haven make it a focal point.
BOHL: I think it is about causing as much political and social pain to Westerners, in particular, to try to pressure the United States and to try to punish the United States, as well, for the assassination of Khamenei.
BATRAWY: Around 90% of the UAE's population are foreigners. Dubai's year-round vibes of fun in the sun has made it a popular low tax destination for many, but the backbone of the economy runs on South Asian laborers. These are sensitive times for the UAE, and while many residents are staying put for now, there are long lines at the UAE's border with Oman of people trying to leave the region through that country's airport. Leaders in the UAE are keen to prevent an exodus of capital and people and to project an image of stability.
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UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTISTS: (Singing in non-English language).
BATRAWY: State-backed media shared videos online dubbed with patriotic songs, showing the UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed strolling through Dubai Mall with Dubai's crown prince on the third day of the war. They sat at a cafe near Louis Vuitton and Chanel stores as people looked on. Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy told journalists that while the UAE reserves the right to respond to any attacks, it does not want the conflict to escalate.
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REEM AL HASHIMY: (Through interpreter) Our message is clear. The Iranian attacks are unjustified, and the military solution will only lead to more crises.
BATRAWY: The UAE withdrew its ambassador from Tehran but has not severed ties with Iran. And Bohl says Gulf countries haven't retaliated militarily to Iran in part because it wouldn't ensure stability.
BOHL: There's nothing the Emirates can bring to the war from a physical standpoint that the Americans and the Israelis don't already have or aren't already doing, but there are politics.
BATRAWY: And this politics rests on the delicate balance between defending the UAE's national security and safeguarding its image as a model for the region. Aya Batrawy, NPR News, Dubai. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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