
Report: UAE Launched Dozens of Airstrikes in Iran in Coordination with US and Israel
The United Arab Emirates quietly joined military operations against Iran during the recent conflict, carrying out dozens of airstrikes in coordination with the United States and Israel, according to a report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper reported that Emirati aircraft struck a range of Iranian military and energy-related targets throughout the war, with operations continuing even after a ceasefire had been announced.
According to the report, the UAE adopted a far more confrontational posture toward Iran than neighboring Saudi Arabia, exposing significant disagreements between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders reportedly differed sharply over how aggressively to confront Tehran and manage the broader regional crisis.
The Wall Street Journal had previously disclosed that the UAE was directly involved in attacks on Iranian infrastructure during the conflict, marking a major escalation in Abu Dhabi’s role in the war.
One of the most notable operations reportedly carried out by the UAE targeted an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf.
Sources cited by the newspaper said the strike was conducted in early April, around the same time President Donald Trump announced a temporary ceasefire following a month of sustained aerial attacks.
The operation reportedly caused extensive damage.
The aerial assault reportedly ignited a massive fire at the facility and successfully disabled a significant portion of the refinery’s production capacity.
The report comes against the backdrop of repeated Iranian attacks on the UAE during the war. Tehran targeted the Gulf nation on multiple occasions, including one incident in which two waves of cruise missiles were launched at Emirati territory.
That missile attack left three people injured and underscored the growing risks faced by Gulf states that became involved in the conflict.
The revelations provide new insight into the extent of the regional coalition aligned against Iran during the war and suggest that the UAE played a far more active military role than had previously been publicly known.