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Connell learned of Dubai being hit while aboard a 16-hour Emirates flight to Miami.<\/p>\n
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He said there was nothing to indicate anything would happen when he boarded about 2am, before the US and Israel launched their joint attack targeting Iranian military assets.<\/p>\n
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He said the passengers learned of the attack from an overhead notice that said: \u201cDubai has been hit by a rocket from Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Everyone aboard the flight flicked their screens to the BBC live stream.<\/p>\n
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Connell said the passengers on his flight were in shock.<\/p>\n
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\u201cNobody saw this coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Tim Connell left a Dubai hotel hours before it was hit by an Iranian missile in retaliation to the joint attack on Iran from the United States and Israel. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
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Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/a>, his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were among those killed in the strikes.<\/p>\n
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the US and Israeli attacks had killed\u00a0787 people<\/a>\u00a0in Iran.<\/p>\n
Airspace across the Middle East had since been closed or restricted.<\/p>\n
Emirates was operating a limited number of flights from Dubai.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no way I would have got out,\u201d Connell said.<\/p>\n
All\u00a0Emirates and Qatar Airways services leaving Auckland Airport had been put on hold<\/a>\u00a0until further notice.<\/p>\n
He was looking forward to reuniting with his family when he returned home to Auckland at the end of this week.<\/p>\n
Connell had a few friends in Dubai who were concerned about the future, he said.<\/p>\n
He understood people were stuck in their apartments and too afraid to go outside.<\/p>\n
According to figures from the\u00a0Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade<\/a>, 28 New Zealanders were registered in Iran, and 78 in Israel.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were all listed as Level 4 (Extreme risk to safety, security, or life) on SafeTravel\u2019s travel alert list.<\/p>\n
SafeTravel travel advisories for Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Occupied Palestinian territories were all listed as Level 4 \u2013 Extreme risk to safety, security, or life.<\/p>\n
Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia were at Level 3 \u2013 Avoid non-essential travel.<\/p>\n
MFAT\u2019s advice to New Zealanders travelling to the United States (Level 2) was to \u201cstill exercise caution and expect travel delays\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Middle East conflict posed several geopolitical risks for the global economy.<\/p>\n
New Zealanders would feel the effects through\u00a0petrol prices, interest rates and KiwiSaver balances<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nA fire at the five-star Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai, after an Iranian missile strike. Photo \/ Social media, X<\/p>\n
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