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Britons should not take photos of strikes in UAE, embassy warns

Matt Spivey
News imageAFP via Getty Images Smoke rises above a mix of high rise and small buildings in Dubai. Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. Explosions rattled buildings in Dubai and a large cloud of smoke hung over a central area of the Middle East financial hub on March 13, AFP correspondents saidAFP via Getty Images
Smoke rose above buildings in Dubai on Friday

The British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has warned Britons in the region against breaking the country's laws by taking pictures or sharing images of the impact of Iranian missiles.

It comes after a 60-year-old British man was charged under cyber-crime laws in Dubai after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

The tourist was detained under a law in the UAE that prohibits publishing or sharing material that could disturb public security, after he was found to have a video of a strike on his phone, according to Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling.

"British nationals are subject to UAE laws, violations may lead to fines, imprisonment, or deportation," the embassy said in a statement on X.

The statement added: "UAE authorities warn against photographing, posting, or sharing images of incident sites or projectile damage as well as government buildings and diplomatic missions."

Stirling said 21 people had been "charged together under the UAE's cyber-crime laws in connection with videos and social media posts relating to the recent missile strikes".

She added that she believed the UAE was cracking down on people filming missiles in order to "maintain the facade that it is safe for tourists".

Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE. The government exercises strict control over the flow of information in the country.

Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's minister of state to the EU, told the BBC "the basis of the legislation" around controlling the sharing of information in the UAE was put in place "in order for everyone to feel safe".

For years, Dubai has cultivated a reputation as a glamorous and attractive destination for expats pursuing business opportunities and travel, but the country has been impacted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The US-Israel war with Iran is into its second week.

Iran has continued its retaliatory attacks after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on 28 February.

Some of the UAE's most iconic buildings have been damaged - including Fairmont The Palm hotel, in the luxurious Palm Jumeirah area, and the Burj Al Arab hotel.