March 20, 2026, 9:54 AM EDT

Sara Elsherbiny was preparing to celebrate her birthday by breaking her Ramadan fast with friends at a restaurant in Dubai.

Instead, as the sun set Feb. 28, explosions echoed nearby, rattling her home and shaking the city.

“It was loud, actually the house shook, and that was the first time that we’ve experienced something like that,” Elsherbiny told NBC News.

In a different part of the city, Ali and his wife were also breaking fast on the same day — the 11th day of Ramadan. He recalled watching missiles streak across the sky.

“We broke our fast normally but the Ramadan vibes were no longer there,” he said.…