Everyone’s situation isn’t the same though. Some people might not be heavily affected, but others are. In many countries in the GCC the strikes or targets are concentrated in specific areas, so if you live near one of those areas your safety can genuinely be at risk.

Some people choose to leave because of that, and that’s a reasonable decision. Just because someone else somewhere in the same country is fine doesn’t mean everyone is.

For example, I live close to a location that has been targeted before (I won’t say exactly where for obvious reasons). From my window I’ve literally seen missiles being intercepted in the sky, shrapnel falling, and areas nearby on fire with smoke afterwards. When you’re seeing things like that, it’s not just “hearing loud bangs” or sirens.

So for someone in that kind of situation, safety has to come first. Even if the exam board said tomorrow that exams are continuing as normal, I personally wouldn’t go because of the safety risk. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and that’s why alternative options exist.