The United Arab Emirates has carried out ‘secret military strikes’ on Iran, according to people familiar with the matter. The strikes, which the UAE has not publicly acknowledged, would mark a significant escalation in the role played by Gulf Arab states in the war.
One of the attacks included an attack on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported. It is widely reported that the attack took place on April 8 and it disabled a significant portion of the facility’s production capacity for months. The strikes indicate that the country is increasingly prepared to deploy them to defend its economic interests and expanding influence throughout the Middle East.
At the time Iran attributed the attack to enemy action and launched a retaliatory barrage of missiles and drones against the UAE and Kuwait in response.
Earlier attacks saw UAE air defences intercept ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones over multiple days in March and April.
Iran targeted much of its fire on the UAE launching 2,800 missiles and drone – more than any other Gulf state or Israel.
In March Dubai Airport came under fire after it was hit by missile attacks from Iran, impacting thousands of UK flights.
Iranian attacks on the UAE have killed at least 10 people and more than 230 since the war started on February 28.
Civilian deaths included citizens of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine, India and Egypt, as well as a Moroccan national serving in the UAE armed forces.
It was only yesterday, May 11, that the Ministry of Defence announced that UAE air defence systems intercepted two drones originating from Iran.
The ministry said that since the beginning of the “blatant Iranian attacks”, UAE air defences have intercepted 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,265 drones.
The two drones caused no injuries or deaths, the ministry added in a statement.
