One of the most remarkable videos which has emerged from inside the UAE (illegally, more on that below) is also one of the most surreal videos yet captured anywhere during the war. It shows an Iranian drone flying over a beach in Dubai, followed by a Emirati fighter jet, which then fires a missile at the drone, as beachgoers watch in disbelief.
The war has provided a constant reminder that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are rare in the region. Amateur videos and images showing the war’s impact in the Gulf monarchies are hard to find following crackdowns by authorities targeting people, including journalists and foreign tourists, who take or share photos or video footage of war-related incidents. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq all have variations of these laws. Israel, citing national security, has banned the broadcast of live feeds of missile attacks as well as photos and footage showing where missiles have struck, and of security forces. No journalists have yet been allowed to embed with U.S. military forces during this war, either.
Ironically, there have been far more photos and videos emerging from inside Iran — which has some of the most restrictive laws in the world, and where internet access largely remains blocked — than from other countries in the region.
