In the middle of the night, people in Dubai receive a missile alert. Several Swiss tourists tell Watson how they endured the night – and what happens next.
March 1, 2026, 3:00 p.mMarch 1, 2026, 3:22 p.m
The military escalation in the Middle East has also reached Dubai since Saturday. Because air traffic in the region largely came to a standstill and thousands of flights were canceled, Swiss travelers are also stuck in the United Arab Emirates.
At the same time, the Emirates had to defend its airspace against Iranian attacks. According to the Defense Ministry, 165 Iranian ballistic missiles and 541 drones have been registered towards the country since Saturday – the majority of which have been intercepted. However, debris occasionally damaged civilian infrastructure. Among others, two were affected Five star hotels in Dubai.
The reports from Swiss holidaymakers in Dubai show what this means for tourists. They tell Watson about rocket alarms in the middle of the night, crowded hotel basements, loud banging noises and the anxious question of when they will get home.
“Never been so scared”
A woman who wishes to remain anonymous and is staying in a hotel on Palm Jumeirah Beach tells Watson: “A missile alarm on my smartphone woke me up at 12:30 a.m.” At first she and her partner hid in the bathroom, but after loud bangs were heard, they went into the hotel lobby.
“I was more scared than ever in my life,” she says of that moment.
Missile alarm at 12:30 a.m.: This is how tourists in Dubai were informed.Image: zVg
The guests were then taken to the basement of the hotel. “It was completely overcrowded.” After a few hours, the hotel also opened the restaurant so that people had more space. “I then slept on the floor against the wall in the restaurant, as far away from the window as possible.”
The couple describes it similarly, which is housed in the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai – in which an explosion was reported on Saturday. “Last night the alarm went off and we all gathered in the basement of the hotel and spent the night there.”
The situation remained tense even during the day. “Today we heard sporadic cracks from the defense missiles.” The recommendation is currently to stay in the hotel or indoors until further notice.
“Panic is not a solution”
The Swiss Marijana is also stuck in Dubai with a colleague. The two are spending their holidays in the Riu Dubai, around 20 kilometers from the city center and close to the airport.
Waiting for new information: Swiss tourist Marijana.picture: zvg
She also went to the hotel lobby after the rocket alarm. “Many were nervous, there were also many families with small children.” Later someone from the military came and explained that the guests could go back to their rooms.
Since then, there has been a mixture of alertness and uncertainty. “There was a cloud of black smoke this morning, but we don’t know what exactly happened,” says Marijana. “You can often hear the fighter planes flying through and loud banging noises.”
Marijana saw this cloud of smoke from her hotel on Sunday morning. Image: zVg
At the same time, she criticizes the communication on site. In combination with fake news on social media, it is difficult to classify the situation. “We hear practically nothing, nothing is communicated. But operations continue and everyone says it’s safe.” Panic is therefore not a solution for her. “I think the wrong thing to do now would be to panic.” A colleague advised her to go to the airport immediately. “But there was real chaos there – and we don’t want that.”
“No one can help at the moment”
It is currently unclear when Swiss tourists will be able to go home again. According to the Flightradar24 platform, more than 3,400 flights were canceled at seven major airports, with the regional hubs Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha particularly affected. In Dubai, parts of the airport were also damaged after the attacks. According to Reuters, four people were injured and there was also damage to a terminal.
A cloud of smoke can be seen in the background of Dubai airport on Sunday.Image: keystone
However, the EDA has not currently planned an organized departure, as the Watson office announced on Saturday evening. Those wishing to leave the country should find out about options from airlines and tour operators and follow the instructions of the local authorities. In urgent cases, the EDA helpline can be reached around the clock.
For many people, the only option left is to wait. “I don’t think anyone can help us at the moment,” says Swiss Marijana. She actually wanted to fly back to Switzerland on Wednesday. But it has been clear since Sunday: Swiss is suspending all flights to Dubai until and including March 4th.
For the time being, the following applies to everyone in Dubai: stay in the hotel, keep calm, and wait for new information.