Every war produces images that stick in the mind. For many people around the world, but particularly in South Asia, the opening nights of this conflict will always be associated with footage from Dubai: a fire near a well-known hotel in Palm Jumeirah, debris from an aerial interception near the iconic Burj-al-Arab, videos of eerily empty highways.

The damage to the United Arab Emirates’ biggest city has been minimal so far, and far more fake or mislabeled videos have emerged than real ones. But that isn’t the point. What makes the real visuals shocking is that Dubai has always appeared invulnerable to South Asians, a shimmering oasis of calm and capitalism unaffected by the turbulent geopolitics of the region and the world. However this war turns out, that long-held image will have imploded.

© Bloomberg