Politics

UAE president walks through Dubai Mall during Iranian strikes

12:02

By: Dakir Madiha

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President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan toured Dubai Mall on Monday evening alongside Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, greeting shoppers and dining in public as Iranian missiles and drones targeted the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai’s Media Office confirmed the visit on X, saying the president was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan and assuring residents that the country remained safe and secure. Images showed the two leaders moving through crowded walkways, posing for photographs and sharing coffee with Emirati officials at a restaurant inside the mall. The scenes spread quickly across social media.

An Instagram post described the appearance as a gesture of reassurance at a time of regional tension. Yemen Online called the outing unprecedented, noting that it is rare for a head of state to appear openly in public during active military operations. On X, several users praised the move, arguing that leaders staying among citizens signaled confidence in the country’s stability.

The visit came on the fourth day of Iranian retaliatory attacks against Gulf states. The strikes followed joint United States and Israeli military operations against Iran that began on February 28.

The UAE has faced some of the heaviest bombardment in the Gulf. By March 2, the Ministry of Defence said it had detected 174 ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles and 689 drones since the start of the attacks. Emirati forces intercepted 161 ballistic missiles and 645 drones. Forty four drones landed on UAE territory, killing three people and injuring 68 others.

Damage has been reported at several high profile locations, including the Fairmont hotel on Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab, Jebel Ali port in Dubai, Zayed International Airport and Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. On March 1, an Iranian drone struck the Jebel Ali power station complex, the country’s largest power and desalination facility, highlighting the exposure of critical infrastructure.

Dubai has long positioned itself as a safe center for business and tourism in the Middle East. The Atlantic Council said the UAE absorbed nearly as many Iranian missiles and drones as Israel during the first twenty four hours of the conflict, despite Abu Dhabi’s pledge to remain outside the confrontation.

Against that backdrop, Sheikh Mohamed’s public appearance in the country’s busiest shopping center served as a calculated message to residents and international observers that the leadership remains visible and that national security systems continue to function under pressure.