Trending Now: SA celebrity Eva Modika stuck in Dubai amid Iranian strikes, begs presidency for help – Fans React

• South African reality TV star and DJ Eva Modika is stranded in Dubai due to Iranian missile strikes and escalating Middle East tensions.
• She revealed losing R250 000 in earnings as events were disrupted and flights suspended, appealing to the South African government for evacuation assistance.
• The South African presidency condemned the conflict, urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to affected regions like the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain.

South African reality TV star and international radio DJ Eva Modika is among the South African citizens stranded in Dubai following Iranian missile strikes.

On Saturday afternoon, reports emerged that an Iranian missile struck a well-known luxury hotel in Dubai.

This attack was part of widespread revenge strikes launched by Tehran, the capital and largest city of Iran, in response to recent US and Israel airstrikes.

The escalation has also seen Iran threatening to target 27 bases hosting US troops across the Middle East, with parts of the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, caught in the conflict.

Additionally, Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv have been targeted, and explosions have been reported in Qatar and the UAE.

READ | Israeli, US attacks: Iran urges UN to act over ‘unprecedented threat’ to global peace

The influencer and DJ took to Instagram on Saturday to share that she is among those stranded in the UAE after travelling to celebrate her birthday and a DJ gig.

“What was meant to be a celebratory birthday trip combined with professional work commitments has now turned into a distressing and deeply challenging situation.

“The escalating tensions between Iran and the United States have begun affecting parts of the Middle East, including Doha, Dubai, and surrounding areas within the UAE,” she said in a statement posted on Instagram.

The 32-year-old revealed that tensions have disrupted travel plans for many in the region, making it difficult for them to return home.

“These developments have had a direct impact on tourists and professionals like myself who are currently in Dubai for work purposes,” she said.

In addition to celebrating her birthday, Modika disclosed that she was booked in Dubai as a DJ and reality TV personality but has suffered significant financial losses due to the ongoing conflict.

“Due to the current circumstances, events have been disrupted, and all flights have been suspended. As a result, I have suffered financial losses amounting to approximately R250 000,” she said.

Now stranded in the UAE, Modika is appealing to the South African government for assistance in returning home.

“I am therefore appealing to the President of the Republic of South Africa and Dirco authorities to urgently intervene and assist South African citizens who are affected and currently in the region.

“We respectfully request guidance, support, and possible evacuation measures to ensure our safe return home,” she wrote.

The South African presidency has since released a statement condemning the escalating tensions in the Middle East, emphasising that these “developments pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, with far-reaching humanitarian, diplomatic, and economic consequences,” the presidency wrote in a statement.

Additionally, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has urged South Africans to limit non-essential travel to Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, as these regions remain caught in the crossfire.

READ MORE | Flight cancellation chaos as Middle East airspace closures disrupt South African airports