Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and met with President Mohammed bin Zayed after the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran, the Israeli leader's office said on Wednesday.
"This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE," the prime minister's office said in a statement. It did not provide additional details.
There have already been reports about earlier secret visits by Netanyahu to the Gulf state and official telephone calls between the two.
Israel's Iron Dome used in the Emirates
The US ambassador to Israel confirmed on Tuesday that the Israeli missile defence system Iron Dome was used in the UAE during the Iran war, which saw Tehran attack Gulf states allied with the US.
Israel sent Iron Dome batteries as well as soldiers who helped operate them, ambassador Mike Huckabee said at a conference at Tel Aviv University.
After Israel, the UAE were hit hardest by Iranian missile and drone attacks, according to the Israeli think tank INSS.
US President Donald Trump launched the so-called Abraham Accords in 2020 during his first term, leading the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan to normalize their relations with Israel.
Naftali Bennett, who was then prime minister, officially visited the Emirates in 2021, becoming the first Israeli prime minister to do so.
