Hours earlier, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The strikes prompted retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region that disrupted Ramadan observances and Eid al-Fitr celebrations for Muslim residents in Dubai and Lebanon. On February 28 at sunset, explosions echoed near homes in Dubai, rattling the city.

On the 11th day of Ramadan, Ali and his wife were breaking their fast in Dubai when he watched missiles streak across the sky. "We broke our fast normally but the Ramadan vibes were no longer there," said Ali. "We were worried about further escalations."

An explosion struck about 1.2 miles from Samah's workplace in Dubai while she was at work. Debris from the explosion struck a car, killing its driver. "I never imagined that one day, I would hear these kinds of sounds and feel that my life, my family, my cats and the country I have called home since I was young could be threatened," said Samah. "It really feels like a nightmare." "I kept thinking that I was only a short distance away from death, yet somehow I survived and was given another day to live," said Samah. "That thought stayed with me and made the whole experience feel even more real and heavy," said Samah.

A Dubai-based media professional went into labor on February 28 as explosions sounded across the city. She and her husband drove to a nearby hospital, where doctors assured her she was safe. While being prepared for an epidural, phones in the room blared an alert warning people to stay indoors and away from windows due to a missile threat. "My body was shaking," said the media professional.

Since the start of the war, more than 2,000 people have been killed across the Middle East. In Iran, Israeli and American strikes have killed more than 1,200 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. At least 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to local officials. Eight people have been killed in the United Arab Emirates, according to local officials. Retaliatory strikes killed 15 civilians and two military personnel in Israel. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in combat. Three U.S. service members died of noncombat causes.

On the first day of the war, an elementary school in Minab in southern Iran was struck, killing more than 160 people, most of them children, according to the town's mayor. Preliminary findings indicate that American munitions were probably responsible for the strike on the elementary school in Minab, according to U.S. officials. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have urged the U.S. and Israel to investigate the strike on the Minab school as a war crime.

In Lebanon, about 1 million people have been displaced since the start of the war, according to local officials. Many families in shelters in Beirut have relied on donated meals for iftar. "For many kids, this is the life they've known," said Basma Alloush, deputy director for communications for the International Rescue Committee. "Their schooling has been disrupted, their daily life has been disrupted and they don't know what life outside of violence looks like," said Basma Alloush.

Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr gatherings across the region have been scaled back or canceled due to security concerns. "Even if you do go out, there is no guarantee that anywhere is truly safe, not even your own home," said Samah. In previous years, Ali attended iftars at Ramadan tents and gathered with friends to mark Ramadan and Eid. For many people, plans for Eid al-Fitr celebrations have been scrapped due to the ongoing war.