Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates at the height of Israel's war with Iran, saying the trip produced a "historic breakthrough" in bilateral relations — a claim the UAE's foreign ministry has flatly denied.
Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday that he had travelled to Al Ain, an oasis city in the UAE's interior near the Omani border, on 26 March, where he held a several-hour meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The announcement followed a disclosure by Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, that Israel had deployed Iron Dome air-defence batteries and military specialists to the UAE during the Iran conflict — the first known transfer of the system to a foreign partner. Reports also emerged, citing the Wall Street Journal, that Mossad director David Barnea had made at least two visits to the UAE during the war to coordinate military actions, and that the UAE had secretly conducted its own strikes on Iranian targets, including a refinery on Lavan island in early April, in retaliation for Iranian attacks on its oil infrastructure.
Abu Dhabi pushed back firmly. The UAE foreign ministry said it "denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country," adding that its relations with Israel are "public" and "not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements." The statement noted that any claims about unannounced visits were "entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE." The careful phrasing — denying "reports" rather than the events themselves — drew attention, though the ministry's intent appeared to be a clear rebuttal.
Iran responded sharply. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Netanyahu had "publicly revealed what Iran's security services long ago conveyed to our leadership," and warned that those "colluding with Israel to sow division will be held to account." Iran targeted the UAE more than any other country during the war, which was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran at the end of February. Despite a ceasefire that came into effect last month, the UAE has since reported continued missile and drone attacks from Iran.
The episode sheds light on the extent to which the Abraham Accords — the 2020 agreements in which the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan normalised relations with Israel — have evolved into something closer to a security alliance, at least in the Emirati case. The UAE has gone further than its Abraham Accords partners in tightening ties with Israel, while simultaneously distancing itself from Saudi Arabia, including a recent decision to leave the Saudi-led oil cartel OPEC. Both Israel and the UAE maintain close ties to the Trump administration, though both also face serious international scrutiny: Israel over alleged genocide in Gaza, and the UAE over its alleged arming of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, which have been accused of mass atrocities.