Saman*, a resident of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was at her workplace when a loud explosion occurred in Abu Dhabi — a retaliatory strike by Iran against US-Israel strikes on its territory. Her two children were at home, while her husband was also at work.

Her workplace was far from the site of the explosion, so she did not hear it. However, she remained in denial that such an incident could occur in a safe and secure country like the UAE.

“Neither did I hear the sound of the first explosion, nor did I concentrate on it as it was another super busy day at work,” Saman told Dawn, adding that her colleagues, who were surprised by the incident, shared the news with her.

While still in denial, she immediately checked the news and learned about the incident. Her focus then shifted from the event to the safety of her children and her husband.

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