In response to the ‘pre-emptive’ military attacks (Operation Epic Fury) on Iran by the US and Israel, Iran has fired missiles at US bases in the Gulf countries. Due to this war situation, air services in Dubai have come to a complete halt, due to which ‘Jannat’ fame actress Sonal Chauhan is stuck there.
Sonal Chauhan’s appeal: ‘There is no way to return home’
On Saturday, Sonal Chauhan took to Instagram to seek guidance from the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for safety and return. He wrote in his story:
“Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, I am currently stuck in Dubai amid the ongoing crisis. All flights have been canceled and there is no clear way to return to India. I seek guidance and assistance from the government to return home safely.” Along with Sonal, he has also tagged @meaindia (Ministry of External Affairs) and @india_in_dubai (Indian Embassy in Dubai).
Apart from Sonal Chauhan, star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu is also stranded at Dubai airport as the escalating conflict in West Asia has caused major disruption in flights. Sindhu was going to Birmingham for the All England Open tournament, Dubai was her transit stop, when the airport operations were stopped.
unrest in the middle east
Tension has increased in the Middle East as the US-Israel Alliance has launched a joint strike against Iran to topple its regime. However, what started as an Israeli ‘pre-emptive military strike’ against Iran turned into proxy attacks by Iran on US bases in the Middle East and by the US and Israel on pro-Iranian militant groups in the region. Explosions have been reported in several key hubs in the Middle East, including Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh and Amman, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has confirmed that it has attacked several US sites in the region in retaliation.
Heavy explosions were reported in some parts of Dubai on Saturday. Amidst these incidents, several videos are going viral on social media, in which fire and smoke are seen rising near the Fairmont The Palm hotel on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. However, it is not clear whether the hotel was hit directly by a missile or whether the fire was caused by debris from a projectile intercepted by the UAE’s defense system. Authorities also confirmed a fire at the Burj Al Arab and an incident at Dubai Airport in which four people were injured amid reports of Khamenei’s death.
Dubai International Airport also suffered some damage due to a suspected airstrike on one of its main terminal buildings. The rising tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing attacks have led to flights being cancelled, airspace closed and countries issuing security alerts for their citizens living in the region.