'I can see the missiles from my garden'

A former council leader who recently moved with his family to the Middle East has described seeing missiles launched to intercept attacks from Iran.

Iran has been targeting neighbouring countries with a US presence in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes and the killing of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Philip Broadhead, who led Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in 2023, moved to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2025.

He said: "We hear a lot of noises and from my garden I can actually see the missiles that go up and intercept the other missiles and the drones."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent from his home, he said: "In the first 24 hours there were 165 ballistic missiles, 541 drones, two cruise missiles, all pointed at the UAE.

"The government have said they've got all of the ballistic missiles apart from 13 that fell into the sea, and the vast majority of the drones.

"But, with that quantum, some will make their way through.

"There has been some damage we've seen within the city - nowhere near us - most of it from falling debris because, even when they shoot these things down, they've got to go somewhere which is why everyone is sheltering inside at the moment."

Teacher Marika Gorbat, who worked in Weymouth, Dorset, and in Southampton, before moving to Dubai, says the atmosphere there is similar to the pandemic because she has not left her home for three days.

She said: "When I woke up on Saturday, while I was having my breakfast, the explosions started.

"We all see Dubai as such a safe place, and it is so worrying.

"Dubai is in a lockdown but not legally enforced.

"It's hard to sleep because of worrying and all the alerts on our phones whenever missiles go overhead, telling us to stay away from windows and doors.

"The schools are closed so we are teaching remotely and setting work online."

Terry O'Dell from Farnham, Surrey, is trying to work out how to get home after he and his family were told to evacuate from Dubai to neighbouring Oman.

As they waited for their taxi, they could see smoke rising in the direction of the airport.

He said: "The airspace over the whole of this area is locked down so, even if we were able to get to an airport, there is no guarantee any planes will be taking off.

"There is an airport right next to us that has flights we can get to Cairo but if Saudi Arabia decide to lock down their airspace, because they are a target from Iran as well, then you are stuck.

"My original thought was, 'if we could get to Muscat, we could get a flight to India' ... but it seems like Muscat might be closed down now as well."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he added: "We are about four hours drive to Muscat airport which is on the coast where most of the missiles are landing from Iran.

"We are sitting waiting. We are comfortable here so it's not a big issue for us at the moment."