Dubai reinvented itself. Now a war is testing its endurance

PremiumAlex Travelli and Anjana SankarNew York Times·12 Jun, 2026 01:21 AM8 mins to readPeople watch the sunset from a vantage point at Dubai Creek Harbour on May 22, 2026. Unlike its oil-dependent neighbours, the UAE built its economy on trade, tourism, finance and logistics. Photo / Natalie Naccache, The New York TimesAs conflict ripples through the Persian Gulf, Dubai’s dependence on trade and travel has become an economic vulnerability.Dubai was billed as the ultimate globalised city – a Switzerland on the Persian Gulf, an authoritarian monarchy offering refuge from taxes and the conflicts that have long unsettled its neighbours.

Swarms