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UAE secretly launched strikes on Iran during war, attacked oil refinery ...
The United Arab Emirates carried out military strikes on Iran, making it the only other country to join the United States and Israel in their war against the Islamic Republic, according to a Monday report. The strikes, which the UAE has not publicly acknowledged, included an attack on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The attack took place in early April, according to the report, which said it was around the time US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire, but did not specify if it was before or after the declaration. Iran acknowledged at the time that the site had been attacked by an unspecified enemy, then responded by firing missiles and drones at the UAE and Kuwait, the Journal noted. The Lavan Island attack was the only specific instance of the UAE participating in the war mentioned in the report. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories By signing up, you agree to the terms One of the sources told the Journal that Washington positively received Abu Dhabi’s participation in the war, after other Gulf countries refused to actively join in the conflict. An Emirates aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 16, 2026 (AFP) The UAE’s Foreign Ministry declined the Journal’s request for comment on the reported strikes, but pointed to past declarations that it had a right to respond to Iran’s attacks. The Pentagon also declined to comment. In March, multiple Hebrew media outlets put out near-simultaneous reports that the UAE had struck a desalination plant in Iran in response to Tehran’s strikes across the Gulf. The accounts sparked fury among Emirati officials, who called out what they called false Israeli media reports. The Journal article did not shed light on that report. During the US-Israel war on Iran, Tehran launched sustained attacks on the UAE, firing some 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones, according to the Emirati defense ministry, making it the most-targeted country in the region, including Israel. The UAE reported likely Iranian attacks restarted over the past week in their territories, as Tehran appeared to be ramping up its strikes in the region despite the fragile ceasefire. Iran, which had vowed to strike US bases in the region, targeted states across the Gulf with missi...
Why is Iran increasingly targeting the UAE in its war messaging?
Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have increasingly singled out the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their war messaging, and have warned of stronger strikes against the country if the United States and Israel resume their attacks.“Our label of ‘neighbours’ with the Emirates has for now been lifted, and the label of ‘hostile base’ has been set for the country,” Ali Khezrian, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, told state television earlier this week.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Kevin Warsh confirmed to US Federal Reserve board in close Senate votelist 2 of 3Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to UAE: US envoylist 3 of 3US faces rising costs with Iran war driving energy prices, inflation higherend of listThe Arab country was also directly referenced in statements issued by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian armed forces this month, after Iran and the US traded fire over the Strait of Hormuz, despite a ceasefire announced in April.The joint command, led by generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), directly addressed Emirati leaders a week ago, and said they must not turn their country into “the den of Americans and Zionists and their military forces and equipment to betray the world of Islam and Muslims”.It said the UAE’s deepening military, political and intelligence ties with the US and Israel were contributing to regional insecurity, and warned of a “crushing and regret-inducing response” to any more attacks against Iran’s southern islands and ports.The IRGC has also declared that the UAE’s critical port of Fujairah sits on an area of the Strait of Hormuz over which Iran exerts maritime control, therefore subjecting any ship travelling to or from the port to be in Iran’s jurisdiction. The port was struck earlier this month, but Iran denied responsibility.The UAE, for its part, has repeatedly condemned Iranian attacks and said it reserves the right to respond, including through military means.It has also terminated visas for Iranians living there for years, and closed down Iranian businesses, trade routes, currency exchange networks, and institutions.The darkening relations between the two countries have had significant ramifications for Iran, as well, which brought in much of its imports from third markets, including China, through Emirati ports.Iranian authorities have been trying to replace lost sea routes with land routes through Pakistan, Iraq, T...
UAE's Rising Regional Ambitions Draw Iran's Attention Amid Escalating ...
Even if disputed, the allegations reflect the broader perception in Abu Dhabi that the UAE has increasingly been a target of Iranian attacks with more than 2,800 drone and missile strikes since the United States and Israel began the war in Iran in late February.
UAE countering Iranian air attack after Trump says ceasefire still in ...
Iran's military said the US targeted two ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and carried out strikes on Iranian territory. The US military said it fired in response to Iranian attacks.
