UAE Flatly Denies Striking Iran — Calls Israeli Media Reports 'Fake News'

The UAE flatly denied Israeli media reports claiming the UAE had carried out a symbolic military strike on an Iranian desalination plant in retaliation for Tehran's attacks. The reports, attributed to anonymous Israeli senior officials, alleged that the UAE had struck the Iranian facility after consultations between Israeli and Emirati officials over the weekend. Rashid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the UAE Federal National Council's Defense Affairs committee, wrote on X: 'This is fake news. When we do something, we have the courage to announce it.' A separate Emirati source told the Times of Israel: 'We categorically deny this nonsense. If the UAE does something or takes an action, it will announce it and make it public.' The UAE added that it was 'inappropriate' for Israeli officials to speak on the UAE's behalf. The denial is notable for its vehemence: the UAE is absorbing significant Iranian attacks (4 dead, 112 injured on Day 9 alone) while declining to escalate militarily or publicly endorse the US-Israeli campaign. The UAE's delicate position — Gulf Arab state, major US partner, but with longstanding economic and diplomatic ties to Iran — means it has strong incentives to stay formally neutral even as it suffers Iranian strikes. The Israeli reports may have been a deliberate attempt to provoke UAE-Iran escalation.