Netanyahu held secret meeting with Emirati president in the UAE during Iran war

WorldPolitics
14 May 2026 • 3:08 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Netanyahu held secret meeting with Emirati president in the UAE during Iran war

  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates and met with the Emirati president during the war with Iran, a statement from the prime minister's office said on Wednesday.
  • According to the statement, the meeting resulted in a “historic breakthrough” in relations between Israel and the UAE.
  • This meeting comes as it’s been reported that the UAE carried out secret strikes on Iran during the conflict, in what would mark the first direct offensive involvement of a Gulf nation in the conflict.
  • The Gulf monarchy was Iran’s number one target when it began its retaliatory attacks across the region, hitting states that are allied with the US.
  • The UAE has not publicly acknowledged the strikes, which included an attack on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf in early April, around the time Donald Trump announced a temporary truce, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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