The Gulf war in incognito mode
As Tehran responded to the US–Israeli assault by striking US interests and military bases across the Gulf, Jordan and Iraq, alongside Israeli cities; migrant workers to the Gulf are beleaguered on another front. Mahmoud(*), an Egyptian worker living in Abu Dhabi, recounts to Al Manassa the instructions he and his colleagues received.
“They told us at work to call our families and say we’re fine. Then they made us list our Facebook accounts to make sure none of us posts anything against the country.”
Mahmoud shares a cramped apartment with 20 other Egyptian laborers. In the evenings, they trade stories of nearly identical warnings from their employers.
Most had been told that showing sympathy or voicing support for Iran was dangerous.
Despite widespread frustration in Gulf capitals over Washington’s decision to ignore their warnings an Iranian response, and its pressing ahead with war while derailing Omani mediation efforts on the nuclear energy file, Arab governments have refrained from any public criticism of the US–Israeli attack on Iran.
Instead, they have spoken with one voice condemning Tehran’s retaliation.
Alongside this official silence runs a quieter campaign. Gulf authorities have moved swiftly to block the circulation of photos or videos documenting the damage caused by missile strikes. Those who express sympathy for Iran or criticize the official Gulf line, face escalating consequences: prison sentences, heavy fines and, for foreigners, deportation.
On Friday, the UAE Public Prosecution ordered the arrest of 10 people of various nationalities, including an Egyptian, for posting videos and social media content it described as “misleading.”
In a statement, prosecutors said the manipulated material “created using artificial intelligence (AI) to falsely suggest explosions,” claiming that the posts misled public opinion and spread anxiety. The suspects have been placed in pretrial detention, with prosecutors warning that penalties could reach a minimum of one year in prison and a fine of no less than 100,000 dirhams (about $27,200).
“Sent from a Samsung device”
In something reminiscent of Egypt’s notorious “Samsung messages” campaigns—mass texts and coordinated talking points used to manufacture a unified narrative through tightly controlled media—Dubai-based influencers have joined a sweeping social media trend praising the UAE’s rulers for safeguarding the country’s security.
The posts quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of views and formed part of a broader effort by Emirati authorities to promote their official narrative: The state is capable of maintaining order, stability and national unity under pressure.
Sky News Arabia highlighted the campaign in a report titled “Thank you, UAE… Celebrities and influencers grateful for effective measures.”
The report showcased tweets and videos posted by influencers, including British media personality Luisa Zissman, who said in a video: “The government is making tremendous efforts to keep things under control. Despite my worries, I feel we’re in safe hands.”
Lebanese influencer Karen Wazen wrote: “I’m incredibly grateful to UAE for the way it’s handling the safety and well-being of its residents.”
Yet behind the carefully curated praise lies another story. Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that foreign influencers living in Dubai had come under intense pressure to delete voice notes and social media posts referencing Iranian missile strikes.
Even prominent Emirati businessman Khalaf Al-Habtoor quietly removed a Facebook post in which he criticized US Senator Lindsey Graham’s demand of Gulf countries to join the war saying “We will not enter a war to serve the interests of others.”
Over the past decade, Gulf states have spent billions of dollars courting social media influencers to promote tourism and foreign investment. Their promotional role becomes especially visible during highly choreographed events such as Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia or the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The UAE, which markets itself as the region’s oasis of business and global investment, has gone even further.
At a summit branded “1 Billion Followers,” the country brought together more than 50,000 influencers from around the world under a special Creators HQ visa program, while allocating 150 million dirhams (about $41 million) to support content creators.
But once the war began, many of these influencers suddenly found themselves under the watchful eye of the state. Authorities warned that anyone publishing content deemed harmful to “national unity” could face prison and fines of up to $77,000.
One influencer deleted a video showing missile fragments outside her apartment, writing bluntly: “The authorities control the narrative.”
The crackdown rests largely on Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on combating rumors and cybercrime, which criminalizes the publication of material that could “endanger security” or spread rumors.
Under the law, penalties can include prison sentences, fines reaching one million dirhams (about $272,000) and bans from using social media platforms.
The charge: glorifying Iranian actions
Attempts to control the narrative of the war and its repercussions across the Gulf, have not stopped with influencers and public figures.
Mahmoud’s testimony echoes accounts from three other Egyptians living in Gulf countries, who spoke to Al Manassa about a climate of near-total control over public space and social media, one that pushes people toward self-censorship even without direct orders.
Khaled(*), an Egyptian teacher who has lived in Dubai with his family for five years, says the atmosphere itself disciplines speech. “Even if no one tells you outright, you learn to keep your head down,” he told Al Manassa, using the Egyptian expression “walking along the wall.”
Since the outbreak of the war, Khaled says warnings have become constant. “Don’t film. Don’t circulate. Don’t share information,” he said. “You hear this message all the time—on your phone, at work, in the Friday sermon, even after the prayer.”
The Egyptian teacher notes that the public mood across the Gulf often blames the US for provoking Iran and dragging the region toward confrontation. Yet open discussion of that view is almost nonexistent.
“If someone publicly supported Iran or said something outside the official line, you wouldn’t find them around for long,” Khaled said. “People avoid the conversation altogether.”
In Qatar, this atmosphere of control has translated into arrests. Authorities detained around 313 people of various nationalities after they filmed or circulated videos authorities deemed misleading information or rumors capable of stirring public opinion, in violation of official directives.
Foreign residents make up about 51% of the population across Gulf countries overall. But the proportions rise dramatically in the UAE and Qatar, where foreigners account for 88.5% and 85.7% of residents respectively—among the highest ratios in the world.
In Bahrain, surveillance has gone further than monitoring or arrests. Several people have already been referred to expedited trials on charges of “promoting and glorifying hostile Iranian actions.”
The case followed a complaint from the cybercrime unit regarding accounts that circulated footage of Iranian attacks on military facilities and property.
According to prosecutors, the account holders expressed joy at the strikes and encouraged them to continue.
“If you speak, you get snatched”
The scene in Saudi Arabia is not much different. “Media here is completely sealed off. No one can speak,” said Lotfy(*), who has lived in the city of Taif for five years. “If someone speaks out, they get snatched immediately. The Interior Ministry controls everything. Filming anything is forbidden, and giving statements is out of the question.”
Saudi authorities have carried out a wave of arrests targeting activists, bloggers and several figures known for criticizing government policy.
Sources who spoke to Al Manassa described the detentions as “precautionary measures” aimed at preventing any movement—or even public expression—that could be interpreted as protest or opposition to official policy.
Warnings in Saudi Arabia have not been confined to official security statements.
They have also reached religious platforms. “In Friday sermons at mosques, people were warned explicitly,” Lotfy said. “They told worshipers that filming is prohibited, and anyone caught recording will be arrested.”
Saudi authorities treat documentation of Iranian drone strikes hitting targets inside the kingdom as a form of free service to the enemy, Lotfy added.
He also described the tightening space for any dissenting view of the war.
“Caution is the rule,” he said. “Saudis are reserved, the laws are sensitive, and everyone prefers to avoid any public political discussion.”
A muted divide in Kuwait
In Kuwait, the atmosphere is more complex.
Samir(*), an Egyptian academic who has worked there as a university professor for 10 years, says the prevailing public mood leans clearly toward viewing Iran as an adversary.
“Most people see Iran as an enemy,” he said. “They believe it should never have attacked Kuwait.”
Yet the picture is not entirely uniform.
Some voices express greater sympathy toward Iran, either out of opposition to the American military presence in the region or for sectarian reasons.
“There are people who believe hosting US bases gives legitimacy to targeting the Gulf,” Samir said. “And some support Iran because they are Shia in the first place.”
Still, fear cuts across these divides. “Everyone is cautious—especially foreign workers,” he said. “Any problem can end in deportation.”
Samir also pointed to the impact of the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on Kuwait’s Shia community, given his spiritual authority.
“They’re grieving, but quietly,” he said. “The state does not allow expressions of support for Iran. Filming was banned so that no videos could leak. Gatherings were prohibited.”
The restrictions went so far, he said, that night prayers during Ramadan were canceled once the war began. “And people have already been arrested.”
Across the Gulf, the proportion of Shia communities varies significantly.
They form a majority in Bahrain (65–70%), while making up minorities of varying size in Saudi Arabia (15–25%), Kuwait (10–15%), the UAE (5–10%) and Oman (3–7%).
Keep your head down
Beyond the escalating exchange of fighter jets, missiles and drones, Gulf authorities continue to wage a parallel battle—one fought over narrative.
Through strict laws, pressure campaigns that have effectively silenced social media influencers and public figures, and the constant threat of deportation or imprisonment, governments are working to ensure that citizens and residents repeat the official line.
Under these conditions, “staying under the radar”—silent and invisible—has become the safest choice for millions of migrant workers.
They remain poised on the edge of war, chasing wages and survival at the same time.
(*)All names have been changed at the request of the sources.