The United Arab Emirates may have quietly entered the ongoing Middle East conflict by carrying out military strikes inside Iran, potentially making it a new direct participant in the war alongside the US and Israel, a new report from the Wall Street Journal claimed.
According to people familiar with the matter, the UAE allegedly launched strikes, including an attack on a refinery located on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf. The strike reportedly took place in early April around the same time President Donald Trump was announcing a ceasefire following a five-week air campaign.
The refinery attack reportedly sparked a major fire and knocked much of the facility’s capacity offline for months. Iran acknowledged at the time that the refinery had been struck in what it called an enemy attack and later launched missile and drone barrages targeting the UAE and Kuwait in response.
The UAE has not publicly acknowledged carrying out attacks inside Iran. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed to earlier statements asserting the country’s right to respond “including militarily” to hostile acts. The report says the United States quietly welcomed the UAE’s participation in the conflict, with one source claiming Washington was not concerned because the ceasefire had not yet fully settled into place.
Iran has targeted the UAE heavily during the conflict, launching more than 2,800 missiles and drones at Emirati territory, airports, and infrastructure. The attacks disrupted tourism, air traffic, and the property market, prompting what Gulf officials described as a major shift in Abu Dhabi’s strategic outlook toward Tehran.
Security analysts cited in the report said the UAE possesses one of the region’s most advanced air forces, equipped with French Mirage fighters, advanced F-16 jets, drones, and surveillance aircraft. Speculation about Emirati involvement intensified after unidentified fighter jets were reportedly seen operating over Iran earlier in the war.
The report also stated that the UAE-backed draft UN resolutions authorizing force if necessary to protect the Strait of Hormuz and imposed restrictions affecting Iranian-linked schools, clubs, and travel access in Dubai.
Naman is a copy editor at Times Now, with over three years experience in covering US News, politics, global affairs, sports, and other domains. Apart...View More
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