Scot in Dubai says children 'heard bangs' of anti-missile defences

A Scottish man living in Dubai said his children asked "what the bangs were" after the UAE intercepted missiles from Iran.

Gary Goldie said Tehran's retaliation attacks on Gulf states in response to US and Israeli strikes were "concerning" but life was "continuing as normal".

The Foreign Office has advised British Nationals in the region to register their presence with the UK government to receive updates on the situation in the Middle East.

Scottish political leaders have called for a de-escalation in fighting and urged all sides to find a "peaceful resolution" to the conflict.

A number of Scots are thought to be trapped in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE and Doha in neighbouring Qatar.

Both states offer large travel hubs which connect the UK with Africa, Asia and Australasia.

The airspace above both countries, which operate direct flights to Edinburgh and Glasgow, remains closed until further notice.

Goldie said he had responded to several calls from concerned loved ones back in Scotland since the conflict erupted on Saturday.

He said there was "no sense of emergency," but that the government in Dubai had introduced precautionary measures including asking children to learn from home.

One person has been killed and 11 people have been injured by falling debris due to strikes on airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Goldie told BBC Scotland News people were being "cautious" but there was still "normality" with roads busy and malls and hotels open.

He said: "Dubai is a big place, the UAE is a big place, so it is in very small pockets where this debris is falling.

"Our children were asking yesterday what was going on, what are the bangs? We have heard some of the bangs, some of the interceptions of what is going on over Dubai.

"But some of the calls I've been getting from back home, people think we're in all out warzone. It's very small, concentrated areas."

Flights to and from countries in the Middle East are to remain suspended until Monday.

The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE and said that British nationals in those countries should shelter in place.

The US and Israel described the attacks on Saturday as a "pre-emptive" strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons.

Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent, said those travelling to and from the area would have to wait until it was safe due to the closure of airspace.

However, he said those travelling through Qatar or the UAE to or from the likes of Thailand, India and Australia, had the right to be taken to their final destination.

He advised passengers to check their travel insurance policies.

He said: "Under air passenger rights rules you have the right to be flown to your destination as soon as possible.

"If you are heading on from the area further afield, you can say to the airlines in that case Emirates or Qatar Airways right you've got to rebook me on another airline and that might be one of the European carriers and might be British Airways but they've got to find a way of getting you to your destination."

Former Rangers and Liverpool player and manager, Graeme Souness, was among those stuck in Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.

He posted two videos on Instagram saying he heard "some pretty loud bangs going off" as anti-missile defences were activated.

He said he had originally been looking forward to watching the Old Firm derby on Sunday.

He later posted saying he was still hearing explosions but was checking into a hotel until flights out of the country resumed.

"You get grumpy when you get delays at airports but we should think about people who are dying."

On Saturday, First Minister John Swinney said he was "deeply concerned over the potential for escalation" in the conflict.

He called on the US and Israel to set out how the action met international rules and urged any Scots trapped in the area to seek consular support.

"Although the Iranian regime is an oppressive regime that should never have access to nuclear weapons, we have got to find a peaceful way to resolve this conflict and that is in everybody's best interest," he said.

Speaking on BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there was a risk of further violence in the Middle East and an increasing death toll in Iran.

He called for an "urgent de-escalation" in the conflict.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said those with concern for family members in the affected areas, or those in the areas impacted could seek consular support by contacting their closest British embassy, high commission or consulate, or contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

He also urged people in the affected areas to use the FCDO's "Register your Presence" service on the FCDO website.

"It is important to monitor official updates and follow any advice," he said. "The FCDO has asked British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to register their presence, which will help ensure they receive the latest updates.

"The Scottish government has been in contact with the UK government over the weekend and is being updated on the situation.

"As the first minister has said, the international community should now work together and at pace on a solution which focuses on de-escalation and diplomacy."