The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

EXPLOSIONS echoed across Dubai on Saturday as intercepted missiles lit up the night sky, sending some Bahamians scrambling back to their hotels while waiting for a way home after the United States and Israel waged war on Iran.

The country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in coordinated strikes, triggering missile and drone retaliation across the region. Much of Middle Eastern airspace has since closed, disrupting travel and stranding thousands, including Bahamians.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has said the government is closely monitoring developments and expressed concern for staff at The Bahamas’ embassy in Abu Dhabi, given its proximity to the Israeli embassy. He warned that the conflict could have economic consequences at home.

“As I always said, the stubborn elephant in our room is the cost of living, and we have very little control of costs, so with the unrest in the Middle East, we expect and it's projected that oil prices might rise,” Mr Davis told reporters on Saturday.

“If that does, then all we can do is try to minimise the impact on our citizens by looking how we could either relieve it through the taxes that has now imposed on importation of fuels and or giving relief in some other form of fashion.”

In Dubai, air operations were suspended as missiles and drones targeted Israel and US military assets in the region. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted hundreds of projectiles since the start of the Iranian attack, with the death toll rapidly rising. The attack led to retaliatory strikes on multiple countries in the region and increased tension in the Middle East reverberating around the world.

One Bahamian traveller, who asked not to be named, said she had been celebrating a birthday with friends when the situation shifted abruptly. Tours were cancelled. Authorities advised them to return to their hotel and remain indoors.

She said the gravity of the moment only became clear when she heard the blasts.

“As we were walking out, we literally heard two bombs go up in the sky,” she said. “Listen, that was definitely not the culture shock I was looking for, but yeah, so we hurried back to the hotel, and we’ve been in here ever since.”

She said she was not afraid but anxious to return home.

“I am really not scared,” she added. “The only thing that I am anticipating is when can I go home?”

Tanaz Cunningham, a Bahamian living in Dubai, co-owner of All Things Arabian, said life had not been dramatically disrupted, though explosions were audible every 30 minutes to an hour.

“It’s just a matter of just staying inside and making sure no debris fall anywhere around you to get injured,” she said.

“We’ve been hearing like a lot of loud noises, like a bunch of boom boom, like, all around the city, but it's just the UAE intercepting the missiles. Nothing has been like drastically hit and no bunch of casualties.”

Her husband, a Bahamian pilot based in Dubai, was stranded in Tanzania when airspace closures prevented his return from a 24-hour layover.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory over the weekend, urging Bahamians in the Middle East to exercise caution and avoid all travel to Israel, Palestine and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beyond those territories, countries including Syria, Iraq and Yemen were categorised under “Avoid Non-Essential Travel,” while the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain were listed as requiring a high degree of caution. Bahamian nationals in those Gulf states were advised to shelter in place and avoid non-essential movement.

The ministry urged travellers to monitor official guidance, follow instructions from local authorities and confirm flight status directly with airlines.