The UAE’s involvement in the Middle East conflict is deeper than estimated. The United Arab Emirates continued its strikes against Iran during the conflict and even after a ceasefire was announced in April.Sources told the Wall Street Journal that the attacks were coordinated with the United States and Israel, which provided intelligence support. Targets reportedly include Qeshm and Abu Musa islands in the Strait of Hormuz, Bandar Abbas Port, the refinery on Rawan Island in the Persian Gulf, and the Asaluyeh petrochemical complex.Some of the attacks targeted Iranian energy facilities in response to Tehran’s attacks on UAE oil and gas infrastructure. The joint-Israeli attack on Asaluye drew strong international criticism and prompted the United States to demand that Israel cease attacks on energy facilities.
How Gulf’s position has changed
Before the conflict began, Gulf countries had said they would not use their airspace and military bases for attacks. However, some have changed their stance after Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Gulf population centers, airports and energy infrastructure to increase the economic and political costs of the war.The UAE is the main target of these attacks, facing more than 2,800 missiles and drones from Iran, far more than any other country, including Israel.
Saudi Arabia, UAE at odds
The UAE’s response also exposed divisions within the Gulf region. In early April, Saudi Arabia reportedly complained to the United States that the UAE’s military actions increased the risk of Iranian retaliation against regional energy facilities, a development that could affect oil prices and global markets. Saudi officials want Washington to pressure the United Arab Emirates to stop retaliatory attacks and instead support diplomatic initiatives by regional countries, according to people familiar with the matter.“The UAE holds Iran fully responsible for these terrorist attacks and their impact,” the Gulf state’s foreign ministry said, according to the Wall Street Journal.Saudi Arabia, which has suffered fewer damaging attacks from Iran, has publicly condemned attacks on Gulf states but has taken a less confrontational approach, focusing on diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.Meanwhile, tensions between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have increased as the war rages on. Gulf officials say UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed is frustrated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s refusal to join a coordinated military campaign against Iran.The disagreement exacerbates existing differences between the two countries, which already compete for influence in the Red Sea region and back opposing sides in conflicts in Sudan and Yemen. In April, the UAE withdrew from OPEC and pledged to strengthen security ties with the United States and Israel.
Political and economic measures against Iran
In addition to military action, the UAE also supports a UN draft resolution authorizing the use of force if necessary to end Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz.The country has also taken measures targeting Iran’s economic interests. Authorities have closed schools and clubs in Dubai linked to Tehran and restricted visas and transit access for Iranian citizens, affecting economic ties that have long linked the UAE and Iran despite Western sanctions.Iran has repeatedly accused the UAE of complicity in U.S. and Israeli actions.
adventurous history
For years, the UAE has been willing to take significant foreign policy risks and use military power to advance regional interests. It has previously supplied weapons to militias in Sudan and Libya and deployed mercenaries to Yemen as part of efforts to counter regional rivals.However, questions remain about the UAE’s ability to effectively deter larger and closer adversaries such as Iran. Its operations represent a fraction of the more than 20,000 attacks carried out by the United States and Israel during the conflict.Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have persisted for more than three months, as the United States and Iran continue to face off over the Strait of Hormuz and its use. The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a joint strike against Iran. Following the attack, Tehran effectively squeezed vital oil pipelines, depleting global energy supplies.
