UAE Launched Dozens of Iran Airstrikes with U.S.-Israeli Help
The UAE conducted extensive airstrikes against Iranian targets alongside the U.S. and Israel, hitting energy and military sites beyond April's ceasefire, the Wall Street Journal revealed.
As Breitbart News reports, the Wall Street Journal disclosed Friday that the Emirati military campaign was far more substantial than previously acknowledged publicly, with Abu Dhabi launching operations from the conflict’s earliest stages while working in close coordination with Washington and Jerusalem, both of which supplied intelligence support.
Emirati forces reportedly struck multiple high-value Iranian targets including Qeshm and Abu Musa islands in the Strait of Hormuz, Bandar Abbas, the Lavan Island oil refinery in the Persian Gulf, and the strategically important Asaluyeh petrochemical complex, sources familiar with the operations told the Journal.
The strike on the Asaluyeh energy facility was executed jointly with Israel and sparked considerable international criticism at the time, leading Washington to pressure Jerusalem to cease further attacks on Iranian energy assets over concerns about broader regional escalation, the report indicated.
Notably, Israeli officials publicly claimed exclusive responsibility for the Asaluyeh operation when it occurred. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told journalists that Israel acted alone against the Asaluyeh gas compound when questioned about the attack.
According to the Wall Street Journal’s sources, several Emirati strikes targeted Iranian energy installations in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on UAE oil and gas infrastructure throughout the conflict.
Iran launched over 2,800 missiles and drones at the UAE during the conflict—exceeding attacks against any other nation including Israel—hitting airports, energy facilities, ports, and civilian zones as Tehran attempted to coerce U.S.-aligned Gulf nations amid the regional crisis.
The scope of the Emirati military response revealed growing rifts within the Gulf Cooperation Council, with Saudi Arabia privately expressing concerns to Washington in early April that UAE operations risked provoking wider Iranian retaliation against regional energy infrastructure and destabilizing global oil markets, the Journal reported.
Saudi officials reportedly urged the United States to restrain Abu Dhabi’s retaliatory campaign and instead back regional diplomatic de-escalation initiatives.
UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan became dissatisfied with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after Riyadh refused to join coordinated military action against Iran, according to the report.
The disclosures highlight the dramatically expanded military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the UAE during the conflict, operating within the framework of the Abraham Accords brokered by President Donald Trump in 2020.
Last month, Breitbart News reported that Israel discreetly deployed Iron Dome batteries, interceptor missiles, and dozens of Israeli Defense Forces personnel to the UAE following direct coordination between Netanyahu and bin Zayed as Iran launched sustained missile and drone assaults targeting Emirati civilian areas, airports, ports, and energy infrastructure.
The deployment represented the first operational employment of the Iron Dome system beyond Israeli and American territory, with IDF troops stationed on Emirati soil assisting in intercepting incoming Iranian projectiles aimed at the Gulf state.
The Wall Street Journal additionally reported that senior Israeli officials—including Netanyahu, Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet chief David Zini, and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir—traveled to the UAE during the conflict as bilateral coordination intensified.
In response to the revelations, the UAE Foreign Ministry stated that Iran bears full responsibility for the attacks and their consequences.
With information from Breitbart News
