On Feb. 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated military offensive against Iran, escalating tensions across the Middle East. The joint strikes, reported under codenames such as Operation Epic Fury / Lion’s Roar, targeted military infrastructure, leadership sites and strategic facilities in Tehran and other Iranian cities.
Israeli officials and multiple foreign media outlets reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the attack on Feb. 28, a development later confirmed by Iranian authorities.
Immediately after the air campaign, Iran launched missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military facilities in the Gulf, including in states hosting American forces such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Many of these missiles were intercepted by local air defenses, though cities including Abu Dhabi felt blasts.
The Recursive spoke to members of the CEE business diaspora currently residing in the Middle East, as the outbreak of conflict immediately disrupted civil life and regional stability. Major Middle Eastern airports, including key hubs such as Dubai’s, temporarily shut or rerouted flights amid fears of airspace dangers.
“On the ground, we felt safe”
From Saudi Arabia, Alexandra Todorova, co-founder and COO at The Bridger Network, described a similarly calm atmosphere on the ground. In Riyadh, aside from a few reported interception attempts targeting a nearby U.S. base, daily life has remained stable, with clear communication from authorities and no visible panic.
“We did hear one of the missile interceptions, which was a reminder of the broader regional tensions,” she said, but emphasized strong public confidence in Saudi Arabia’s defense capabilities and proactive governance. Although Saudi airspace has remained open, flight cancellations led her to take one of the available departures to Europe as a precaution.
“Our decision was precautionary rather than driven by immediate danger — on the ground, we felt safe.” She added that while residents remain composed, the conflict may influence short-term travel, tourism, and international events, particularly as Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 strategy to position itself as a global hub for innovation and investment.
Slavena Tisheva, CMO at Wiser, shares a similar perspective. “We are currently safe in Abu Dhabi and experiencing minimal disruption to our schedule. While we occasionally hear interception strikes, the situation here is noticeably quieter than in Dubai,” she said.
While uncertainty looms, business as usual continues
Residents receive emergency alerts through local warning systems whenever attacks occur, keeping the public informed in real time. She noted that she has not been in direct contact with the Bulgarian embassy in the UAE and has not received specific guidance from them. For now, developments have not significantly altered her immediate plans, though she and her colleagues remain attentive.
“Among colleagues and others in our network, the main concerns revolve around uncertainty and the possibility of escalation. People are closely monitoring the situation, staying alert to official updates, and considering contingency plans, but there is no widespread panic — more a sense of caution and vigilance.”
Mihai Mărcuță, co-founder at NodeShift, originally from Moldova and now based between Abu Dhabi and Doha, said that despite Ramadan and heightened regional tensions, commercial activity has not slowed. “You’d expect the month of Ramadan to be slower overall, add to the equation the tensions and you’d think the region would come to a stop — but it’s the opposite,” he noted.
His company continues active deployments with a ministry and a major banking institution, where usage of their AI tools remains at the high end of productivity. While his firm offered staff in both Abu Dhabi and Doha the option to relocate farther from city centers, no one accepted, and operations continue uninterrupted. Recent debris falling near an AWS data center, he added, has only reinforced their commitment to “sovereign AI” solutions that allow institutions to control their own infrastructure.
“In fact, while writing this reply, I am being chased by a customer at 7:00 PM in Abu Dhabi to roll out an update — business as usual continues.”
