‘Horrendous situation’
13:17, 28 Feb 2026Updated 13:18, 28 Feb 2026
Reality TV star Laura Anderson pictured with her daughter Bonnie.(Image: Instagram/@lauraanderson1x)
Love Island star Laura Anderson has reassured fans she is safe after waking up to a “horrendous situation” in Dubai.
The city and surrounding regions have been rocked by explosions on Saturday following a massive escalation in military activity between Israel, the United States, and Iran.
The chaos began early this morning when Israel and the US launched joint “preventative” strikes against targets in Iran to remove immediate threats. Iran has since retaliated, launching missiles at US military facilities and urban centres across the Middle East.
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Explosions have been confirmed in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. One death has been reported in the latter city due to falling debris in a residential area.
Missiles targeted a US naval base in Qatar, while explosions were also heard in Doha.
Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026.(Image: AP Photo)
In Bahrain, attacks targeted the US Fifth Fleet Naval Command, while explosions were also reported in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.
Anderson, who had only recently landed in the UAE with her young daughter, Bonnie, shared a brief but relief-filled message on her Instagram story. “Horrendous situation. Bonnie & I are fine,” she wrote, accompanied by a white heart emoji.
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Just hours prior, she had been sharing lighthearted clips of their arrival and a “freezing” swimming pool at their accommodation.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued an emergency “shelter in place” order for British nationals currently in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. “British nationals should immediately shelter in place. They should remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,” the statement read.
The aviation industry has ground to a halt in the region. Wizz Air has suspended all flights to Israel, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, reports have emerged of UK-bound flights making emergency 180-degree turns mid-air to avoid the closing airspace over the Gulf.
The strikes come after US President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” in Iran overnight.
The situation remains extremely volatile, with thousands of Western expats and tourists—including celebrities like Kate and Rio Ferdinand and Amir Khan—currently caught in the lockdown zones.
