Mike Babayan, a social media influencer, was sitting in a hookah lounge across the Burj Khalifa in Dubai when he heard the blast.
An Iranian missile had been intercepted by the United Arab Emirates.
‘But everyone just was shocked for a minute, then went back to their food and hookah like nothing happened, really,’ Mike, who lives on the earth’s tallest constructing, tells Metro.
The gleaming city of Dubai had long been pitched as a haven in an unstable Middle East.
But this image has been shaken after Iran launched lots of of missiles on the Persian Gulf in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Saturday that killed greater than 700 Iranians, including children.
Luxury hotels caught fire, explosions shattered the windows of iconic skyscrapers and the Dubai international airport was damaged. Airspace stays closed.
At the least three people have died and a few 58 have been injured within the UAE, in accordance with the country’s defence ministry.
What have influencers been saying?
The beginnings of the Iran conflict were captured by scores of influencers, some living in Dubai or on holiday.
Some filmed fiery missiles within the night sky, streaking past town’s iconic skyline, while others spoke to the camera as they hunkered down.
This included Mike, 23, who told his 201,000 followers that he was ‘stuck in the midst of WW3’ last Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles native said life was ‘happening as normal’ and, no, the Burj Khalifa had not been destroyed.
‘I wouldn’t say I used to be scared, more similar to rattling, you see it on the news, but now you see it in real life, something you wouldn’t imagine,’ Mike said.
‘Streets are full, restaurants and cafes are packed, it’s almost like nothing ever happened. Feels similar to one other regular day.’
Users in Dubai at the moment are posting clips of themselves sunbathing, figuring out and praising UAE officials for doing job.
Metro even saw multiple users posting near-identical videos praising the Emirates.
They start by sharing a comment with a variation of the phrase: ‘You reside in Dubai. Aren’t you scared?’
‘No, because I do know who protects us,’ the videos add, showing footage of the crown prince of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
Al-Maktoum, meanwhile, filmed his own content for the Dubai Media Office account.
Joined by UAE president, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he took a stroll through the Dubai Mall on Monday, smiling and waving at shoppers.
Such serene scenes were to be expected, Omar Al-Ghazzi, an associate professor of media on the London School of Economics, told Metro.
‘The UAE leadership is projecting a way of normalcy for nationals and residents and sending a “there’s nothing to see here” message to the world,’ he said.
‘Beyond the immediate dangers of the war, there’s a risk that Dubai gets related to conflict in the long run.’
Al-Ghazzi added that influencers are ‘flooding’ social media to guard town’s fame.
‘Some joked that it’s people in Europe who ought to be afraid of theft and murder, quite than those in Dubai who live in safety and calm,’ he said.
‘That is the Dubai version of “keep calm and carry on”‘
The UAE is an authoritarian country with limited freedom of expression.
Yet Dubai is the ‘influencer capital of the world’. The nation’s skilled poster hub, Creators HQ, has nearly 2,500 members with a combined following of two.45 billion.
Creators must obtain a £3,000 licence, while content that doesn’t respect the Emirates is criminalised.
Dubai Police warned that ‘sharing rumours’ or content that ‘contradicts official announcements’ can land someone in jail.
Still, being an influencer is a job, says Dr Zoe Hurley, an associate professor of media on the American University of Sharjah.
‘The British imaginary of a Dubai influencer as a tax exile, surgically enhanced, drinking cocktails within the sun, is an Orientalist and classist stereotype,’ the creator of the book Social Media Influencing within the City of Likes told Metro.
‘Many so-called influencers striving to make a living in Dubai may have insecure income revenues, like fitness, personal training and property.
‘Since these jobs don’t necessarily have fixed salaries, healthcare or a security net, young creators have to maximise their earning potential by promoting all the pieces they do on social media.’
Dr Hurley stressed that influencers will not be all downplaying the situation.
‘They’re not sending the message that that is business as usual,’ she added. ‘That is the Dubai version of “keep calm and carry on.”‘
Dr Sreya Mitra, an associate professor of mass communication on the American University of Sharjah, told Metro she is seeing similar content from South Asian influencers.
A big population of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis call the UAE home.
Unlike the stereotypical ‘Dubai influencer’ – ‘living the “sweet life” and partying hard’ – Dr Mitra says South Asian expatriates are fact-checking news coverage and posting reels of late-night festive Ramadan markets.
‘They consistently reaffirm their faith within the UAE government and leadership, often recalling their prompt and proactive response during earlier moments of crisis, just like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 Dubai floods,’ Dr Mitra adds.
‘This also reveals how they see themselves not only as temporary expatriates but UAE residents for whom that is their home.’
Mike also has faith. He’s lived in Dubai on and off since 2020 and moved there for what, he says, is town’s safety.
‘Nothing really has modified for me, still will probably be here and possibly much more confident in the best way things are, considering they were capable of defend against all of the missiles,’ he adds.
Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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