Amid escalating tensions with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly made a clandestine visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Israeli leader’s office announced on Wednesday that this March 26 meeting in Al Ain marked a significant step forward in the relationship between Israel and the UAE, despite the UAE’s foreign ministry dismissing the claims as “baseless.” The meeting, if confirmed, highlights the burgeoning alliance between the two nations, which had already been deepened by military cooperation during the conflict with Iran.
The visit is said to be part of a broader strategic partnership, as Israel reportedly shared its Iron Dome air defense system with the UAE during the conflict, sending military specialists to aid in its operation. This cooperation underscores what U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee calls an “extraordinary relationship” between the two countries. In addition, reports suggest that Mossad’s director, David Barnea, visited the UAE multiple times to coordinate military actions, further strengthening ties between the nations.
As tensions in the region simmer, the Wall Street Journal reports that the UAE conducted its own covert strikes against Iran, including an attack on a refinery on Lavan Island, in retaliation for Iranian assaults on Emirati oil facilities. This military engagement comes in the wake of the UAE’s historic decision in 2020 to normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, alongside Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Since then, the UAE has pursued a more independent foreign policy, even exiting the Saudi-led oil cartel, OPEC, earlier this month.
Both Israel and the UAE, close allies of the Trump administration, face potential challenges with shifts in U.S. policy under different leadership. Their involvement in the Iran conflict has drawn international scrutiny, with both nations accused of serious human rights violations. Israel is facing accusations of genocide in Gaza, and arrest warrants have been issued for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court. Similarly, the UAE stands accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, implicated in mass atrocities, though it has denied these allegations despite existing evidence.