The revelation deepens what is known about the Emirates\u2019 involvement in the war on Iran<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates at the height of the US-Israeli war on Iran, his office revealed on Wednesday. The visit coincides with the UAE receiving Iron Dome air defense batteries from Israel.
\nNetanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed during the visit, which took place at an undisclosed time during the conflict, Netanyahu\u2019s office said in a statement, adding that the trip \u201cled to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.\u201d
\nWhile Netanyahu\u2019s office did not elaborate on this \u201cbreakthrough,\u201d it is likely that some kind of military cooperation was discussed, as US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed this week that Israel had recently sent \u201cIron Dome batteries and personnel\u201d to the Emirates.
\nThe Emirati Foreign Ministry denied that Netanyahu had made an undeclared visit to the country. Relations with Israel are \u201cnot based on secrecy or covert arrangements,\u201d the ministry added.
\nThe extent of this cooperation was\u00a0reported by the Wall Street Journal this week. According to the newspaper, the UAE secretly carried out multiple attacks on Iranian infrastructure and military sites throughout the war, including strikes on a refinery on Iran\u2019s Lavan Island in early April, around the time that US President Donald Trump was announcing a ceasefire and negotiations with Iran.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
UAE carried out covert strikes on Iran \u2013 WSJ<\/p>\n
The attack was reportedly coordinated with Israel, and came after multiple secret visits by Mossad Director David Barnea to the UAE.
\nThe UAE has not acknowledged the attacks, nor has its government commented on visits from Barnea or Netanyahu.
\nThe UAE\u2019s Foreign Ministry said in January that it would not allow the US or Israel to use its airspace to attack Iran. However, Tehran claimed that the American jets that attacked an elementary school in Minab on the opening day of the war \u2013 killing more than 160 schoolgirls \u2013 took off from Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. Iranian forces responded by striking Al Dhafra, as well as US infrastructure at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai.
\nIran pummeled targets across the UAE with more than 2,000 missiles and drones in the following weeks, while Tehran accused the Emirates of cooperating with \u201chostile parties\u201d in the war.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Are US and Iran sliding back into war? What we know so far<\/p>\n
Amid the fragile ceasefire, the UAE last week accused Iran of striking its territory, setting an oil facility in Fujairah ablaze and wounding three people. The US has not condemned the attack, likely in an effort to ensure that the truce holds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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