Tensions are boiling over in the Middle East, sparking a frantic exodus of foreign nationals from Saudi Arabia and the UAE as Iran-linked attacks escalate.
The drama hit headlines with soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo’s overnight dash from Riyadh. The Portuguese star, who lives there with his family, boarded his £61 million Bombardier Global Express 6500 private jet and flew a seven-hour route over Egypt and the Mediterranean to safety in Madrid.
Flight trackers captured the escape as Riyadh emerged as a prime target after U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Overnight, two drones slammed into the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, while Iranian media boasted of obliterating a command building in Bahrain.
The U.S. State Department urged Americans to flee over a dozen regional countries due to soaring safety risks. Commercial flights to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi got rerouted amid the chaos, stranding thousands.
Expats, business leaders, diplomats, and workers, are scrambling for seats, gripped by fears of all-out war ripping through Gulf hubs. Saudi Arabia and the UAE depend heavily on these foreigners for their oil-fueled economies, sports leagues, and finance scenes. Experts warn a prolonged outflow could hammer growth.
No governments have issued direct expatriate alerts, but drone hits, advisories, and star exits paint a dire picture. With Iran-U.S.-Israel clashes raging, analysts foresee bigger waves of departures from those who can afford a quick getaway.
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