Owing　to　the　rare　occurrence　of　tsunamis　in　the　Arabian　Sea,　and　the　lack　of　reliable　records　on　them,　tsunami　preparedness　has　not　been　prioritized　in　plans　for　the　development　of　coastal　cities　in　the　Middle　East.　However,　an　increase　in　the　number　of　earthquakes　in　the　region　in　the　recent　past　has　highlighted　the　vulnerability　of　low-lying　coastal　areas　to　tsunamis.　We　investigate　the　potential　of　date　palm　forests　to　mitigate　tsunamis　in　the　Middle　East.　Experiments　were　conducted　at　a　scale　of　1:100　to　assess　the　effectiveness　of　forests　in　reducing　the　intensity　of　tsunamis.　The　reflection　at　the　front　of　the　forest　was　negligibly　small　when　the　depth　of　flow　was　lower　than　the　height　of　the　canopy,　and　increased　with　the　height　of　the　tsunami　wave　when　the　depth　of　flow　was　higher　than　the　height　of　the　canopy.　This　shows　that　the　structure　of　the　canopy　of　date　palm　trees　is　key　to　reducing　the　energy　of　the　tsunami.　The　reduction　in　the　maximum　depth　of　flow　behind　the　forest　increased　with　the　height　of　the　tsunami　when　the　forest　was　longer　than　120　m.　The　largest　reductions　obtained　in　the　depth　and　velocity　of　flow　behind　the　forest　were　37%　and　40%,　respectively,　when　the　forest　was　180　m　long　and　the　tsunami　wave　was　7　m　high.　The　results　suggest　that　a　date　palm　forest　with　a　length　of　at　least　150　m　on　flat　ground　can　mitigate　tsunamis　in　the　Middle　East.　©　The　Author(s)　under　exclusive　licence　to　International　Consortium　of　Landscape　and　Ecological　Engineering　2024.