A 36-year-old American businessman has described the moment he realised he was caught in a major international incident while on a work trip to Dubai. Cody Greene from Tampa, Florida, was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last weekend when Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles towards the region.
Greene, a business development manager for a digital advertising company, had arrived in Dubai on Friday night local time for a week-long stay that included a mid-week conference. His plan was to return home in time for his son's first birthday party this coming weekend.
Normal Saturday Turns to Anxiety
The situation changed dramatically on Saturday morning. "I woke up to news of the US attack," Greene said, referring to initial reports. "I was a little worried, but I figured that Dubai wouldn't be involved." He proceeded with his plans, visiting a mall to buy a gold pendant for his wife.
It was in a taxi that his anxiety spiked. "I checked social media and started to see that Iran was attacking nearby Abu Dhabi," he recounted. "That's when my anxiety really started kicking in. Frankly, I was really scared." He cut his shopping trip short and returned to his hotel.
Attack Witnessed from Hotel Beer Garden
Despite the rising tension, public life in Dubai appeared to continue normally. "The wild part was that people were still out and about. The crowd in the mall just seemed unconcerned," Greene observed. Following the local calm, he went to his hotel's beer garden.
It was there he witnessed a key moment in the attack. "I had a drink while looking at the Burj Khalifa... I took a selfie, and just after that, I noticed something that looked like a shooting star, followed by a small explosion." He later realised he had seen a drone being intercepted by the UAE's air defence systems.
Sheltering in Place as Alerts Sound
Shortly after, hotel staff instructed all guests to stay indoors. The situation escalated when emergency alerts, similar to the severe weather warnings used in Florida, sounded on all mobile phones across the country. "I was terrified because I thought missiles were nearby," Greene said.
The notification instructed people to stay away from windows. Greene spent approximately one hour sheltering in his hotel bathroom. "I was entirely freaked out," he admitted.
Return to Normalcy and Flight Chaos
By Sunday, confidence had returned. "I felt confident in the air defence system after seeing reports of how many drones and missiles it intercepted," Greene stated. He felt safe enough to book a massage and go golfing.
His efforts to return home to Florida, however, have been plagued by cancellations. His original Air Canada flight for Friday was cancelled, as was a rebooked flight for Monday arranged by his employer. He praised the UAE government's communication during the crisis, which he followed on social media platform X.
Greene currently has a flight booked to depart Dubai at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. "I can't wait to see my wife and son," he said.