Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly made a clandestine visit to the United Arab Emirates during the height of the war with Iran, meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to Netanyahu’s office, this meeting, held on March 26 in the oasis city of Al Ain near the Oman border, resulted in a significant advancement in the diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE. The visit is said to be part of a broader strategy, with Mossad Director David Barnea making multiple trips to the UAE to coordinate military actions during the conflict.
In a further sign of the deepening ties between the two nations, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, revealed that Israel had provided its Iron Dome air defense system to the UAE, along with military specialists to operate it throughout the war. Huckabee emphasized the strength of the bilateral relationship, calling it “extraordinary.” However, the UAE’s foreign ministry has refuted claims of Netanyahu’s visit, dismissing them as unfounded.
Amid these developments, reports have surfaced about the UAE conducting covert operations against Iran, including an attack on a refinery on Lavan Island in early April as retaliation for Iranian strikes on Emirati oil facilities. These actions align with the UAE’s ongoing efforts to assert an independent foreign policy, which includes its recent departure from the Saudi-led oil cartel, OPEC, thereby diminishing the organization’s influence in global markets.
Since the signing of the “Abraham Accords” in 2020, which marked the UAE as the first Islamic nation to normalize relations with Israel, the two countries have forged a close alliance. This relationship, however, faces potential volatility with shifts in U.S. political leadership, as both nations are currently under scrutiny for alleged war crimes. Israel faces accusations of genocide in Gaza, with international arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Meanwhile, the UAE is suspected of supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, a group accused of mass atrocities, although it denies these claims despite substantial evidence to the contrary.