Petra Ecclestones Dubai Departure Sparks Golden Visa Claims

became the latest celebrity to jet out of after the US-Israel war against sparked chaos in the UAE. 

The socialite, who is the daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, left the country on Thursday via business class on a commercial flight alongside husband Sam Palmer and her four children. 

She is one of many influencers who has left Dubai after more commercial flights began operating out of the country, yet insisted in an Instagram post that she was not trying to 'escape'. 

Petra, 37, claimed she was only leaving the country in order to get into London in time for her daughter Lavinia, 13, to take part in a horse show in Europe. 

Sharing snaps with her family at the airport, Petra reflected on her time in the Middle East, writing: 'Two months since we packed up our lives and moved to Dubai. ✈️

'It hasn’t gone quite as smoothly as we imagined, and there have definitely been a few unexpected hurdles along the way. But as always, we faced them together as a family and got through it.'

Yet she insisted that the ongoing missile strikes had nothing to do with her decision to leave, adding: ' I also want to clear something up — we didn’t “escape” because of the circumstances people have been speculating about. 

'It was simply the only flight we could get that would get us there in time for Lavinia’s horse shows in Europe.

'One thing we’re very grateful for is how much Dubai puts safety first — and how welcomed and safe it has made us feel during this transition.'

Petra, who shares Lavinia and 10-year-old twins Andrew and James with her ex-husband James Stunt, and daughter Minnie, five, with husband Sam, later shared snaps of the family back in London. 

She penned: 'Home in my heart, and full of the childhood memories that raised me.' 

Earlier in the week, Petra revealed her fear in Dubai telling her followers: 'We came to Dubai to feel safe, and we finally felt like we were settling in, and now this has happened.'

Yet she later had a change of heart, posting on her Stories: 'This is what safety feels like. This is what resilience looks like. This is UAE.'

Amid the uncertainty about the conflict there have been several international influencers, including well-known British names, singing their praises and lauding Dubai as the 'safest place on earth'.

However, The Daily Mail has learned that behind the glitzy, public relations messages of solidarityand the hard-line regime would not hesitate to imprison or deport anyone whose output was judged 'harmful' to the reputation of the UAE.

The government has even cracked down on those reposting genuine footage of the first of the attacks on Saturday, which included drones or debris causing damage at the five-star Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah and the iconic sail-shaped Dubai hotel Burj Al Arab in flames.

The Dubai Media Office announced within a few hours of the first strikes that 'outdated images of past fire incidents' in Dubai were being spread to stoke fear among the city's residents and thereby garner clicks.

'Legal action will be taken against those who publish or republish such content in violation of UAE law,' the post read.

And in a country with one of the worst human rights records in the world, where severe restrictions on freedom of speech are backed up by an opaque justice system and widespread torture, no one takes such warnings lightly.

Criticising or insulting the UAE government or its institutions or spreading false rumours can result in fines of up to £200,000, or up to five years in prison, and possibly deportation. A situation made more intolerable if you own property there.

There are estimated to be more than 50,000 influencers in Dubai, lured there by not just the weather and its tax-free status, but also by a coordinated government campaign under the name Creators HQ, which offers generous help and advice with setting up their businesses.

For the most influential, there's even a renewable 10-year 'Golden Visa' for them and their families – provided they say the right thing about Dubai, pushing its luxury lifestyle and above all, its safety.

Yet while influencers have been quick to wax lyrical about the safety of the country, that hasn't stopped many from making their way out of Dubai. 

Earlier this week, Love Island's Laura Anderson said she was praying for 'safe skies' as she has managed to get a flight to Edinburgh out of Dubai. 

While Geordie Shore's Sam Gowland finally made a plane to Mauritius on his fourth attempt to flee the city.

Fitness influencer Alice Liveing, who had been in Dubai when the strikes began, also managed to make it back to the UK.

Sharing a picture breastfeeding her baby, she wrote: 'The last few days have been surreal to say the least.

'I don't want to make a huge deal because there are people in all sorts of complicated, challenging and precarious situations but we are feeling so lucky to finally be home. We travelled to Oman and managed to get a flight from there to London.'

'The last few days have been surreal to say the least. I don't want to make a huge deal because there are people in all sorts of complicated, challenging and precarious situations but we are feeling so lucky to finally be home. We travelled to Omna and managed to get a flight from there to London.

While assuring her followers 'everything is fine' in Dubai, The Apprentice star Luisa Zissman revealed her plans to return to the UK.

She said: 'The situation here seems to be fine to be honest, the children have broken up one week early from school. I was due back to the UK on Monday for work so hoping that can happen. Can see lots of passenger planes in the sky.

'I'm worried if I come back to the UK for work I won't be able to get back to Dubai, so will take the children with me and see my parents too.'

One showbiz couple who had no such luck leaving Dubai was Love Island star Michael Griffith and his girlfriend, EastEnders' actress Rukku Nahar, who were left stranded when their flight was cancelled. 

Updating her followers, Rukku shared a sad selfie and explained it was 'impossible' to get a flight back. 

She went on to add that she hoped the Indian Embassy would be able to help out, having had no such luck in her communication with the British Embassy. 

Determined not to give up, Rukku later shared a video taken inside the airport as she asked her followers to 'wish us luck', saying she and Michael faced a 'long day and long night' in their bid to return home to the UK. 

Friday marked the seventh day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, as the first Government-chartered plane evacuating British nationals from the region touched down in the UK.

The US and Israel have continued to batter Iran with nationwide strikes, and in turn, Iran has kept up retaliatory strikes on Israel, US bases and across the region.

It has led to thousands of Britons leaving the region with some 4,000 returning on commercial flights before the first Government charter plane landed at London Stansted shortly before 1am on Friday.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer insisted that the special relationship is 'in operation right now' following repeated criticism from US president Donald Trump over the UK’s response to the conflict.

The Prime Minister said on Thursday that an additional four British Typhoon fighter jets are being deployed to Qatar to strengthen 'defensive operations' in the region.

According to reports, the war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 100 in Lebanon, around a dozen in Israel and six US troops.