There is no going back for Dubai.
Until recently the desert city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was considered one of the safest in the middle east.
Marketed as a wealthy, tax-free oasis, Dubai especially attracted foreign visitors with its lavish resorts, luxury shopping and flashy architecture.
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It's also a fan favourite among influencers, especially those in the luxury and travel niches, some of whom have even been paid to promote the city.
Now hundreds of tourists are stranded as Iranian weaponry rains down on the UAE, damaging buildings and the nation's reputation.
Luxury hotels in Dubai, the international airport, and the industrial area of Sharjah city have all been hit by shrapnel as Iran responds to a major attack from the US and Israel.
At least one person has been killed and several have been injured.
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UAE officials have reassured residents – nearly 90 per cent of whom are foreigners – and visitors they are safe.
The nation's air defence system has been blasting down hundreds of drones and missiles since the conflict kicked off over the weekend.
"I know it's a scary time for a lot of the residents," Reem Al Hashimy, minister of state for international cooperation, told CNN.
"We don't hear these types of loud sounds. But at the same time, those are sounds of interception.
"And where there has been damage — that has been primarily debris."
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Some of Dubai's most iconic and important landmarks have been hit; the Fairmont Hotel on Palm Jumeirah island, the Burj Al Arab hotel, Dubai's Jebel Ali Port, and Dubai International Airport.
Australians who witnessed the attacks paint a terrifying picture.
Carina Rossi, a senior editor at nine.com.au, is staying at Atlantis - The Palm at the tip of the city's Palm Jumeirah district and saw debris fall from the sky.
She and other hotel guests "panicked" and ran to the beach as the debris plummeted into the hotel pool.
"The debris didn't explode, thankfully. But it was a loud bang, something I'd never heard before," Rossi told nine.com.au.
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Rossi and other guests were then woken to an alert which urged them to seek shelter amid imminent missile threats.
"When we got the alert at 12.30 we could instantly hear explosions in the distance," she said.
Rossi is safe in her hotel.
Australian Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice, who lives in Dubai with her pastor husband, asked for prayers in this "scary situation".
"Please help me in praying for all my friends, loved ones and people in the UAE that they would be protected," she wrote on an Instagram Story.
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Mikey Pembroke, who appeared on Married At First Sight and now lives and works in Dubai, shared footage on social media of a structure on fire near his home.
"I've just heard about 20 explosions above my apartment building," he said in the clip shared to Instagram.
Cinzia Bianco, an expert on the Persian Gulf at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Dubai's reputation may never recover.
"This is Dubai's ultimate nightmare, as its very essence depended on being a safe oasis in a troubled region," Bianco wrote on X.
"There might be a way to be resilient, but there is no going back."
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The world is already witnessing the fallout from the attacks.
The UAE slammed its airspace shut on Saturday, cancelling flights and leaving hundreds of tourists stranded in Dubai.
Australians who had flights booked to or through the UAE have had their travel plans thrown into chaos.
The UAE also shut its embassy in Tehran, Iran's capital, on Sunday and withdrew its diplomats.
The move comes after years of efforts to de-escalate tensions with Iran, as the nation shows no sign of stopping airstrikes over the UAE.
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