Making the home planet of a species, which perceive things by heat, somewhere which is hot, never made sense to me. Both 'Predator' and, more recently, 'Predators', make it clear how that would effectively blind them (and make it an utter mystery why they evolved that way). For all we know, often turning up on Earth during hot times might be something they consider a challenge, not convenience.
Only way this would make sense is if it demonstrates their natural vision is actually something completely different and they simply get thermal vision surgically implanted for hunting technique prowess.
As for somewhere in the Middle East, it would make sense to put it in an urban warfare setting. That'd largely avoid the obvious problems of a desert environment. The problem is, I can't see typical Hollywood writers of the modern age not forcing politics into it, which would annoy me as a member of its audience.
