Netanyahu's UAE Meeting Yields Historic Breakthrough, Iron Dome Deployment Revealed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office described his meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as a historic breakthrough in Israel-UAE relations.

The meeting took place Tuesday in Al-Ain, an oasis city near the Oman border, and lasted several hours, according to a source cited by Reuters.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Tuesday that Israeli Iron Dome air defense batteries had been sent to the UAE during the war. He attributed the deployment to the extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel, rooted in the Abraham Accords. Those agreements normalized ties between Israel and several Arab countries during President Trump's first term.

Iran struck several targets in the Emirates during the conflict and has repeatedly criticized the UAE over its closer relations with the US and Israel.

On Wednesday, Emirati presidential adviser Anwar Gargash reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to political solutions and diplomacy. He added that his country had a right to defend itself. In a post, Gargash said the UAE had not sought the war and had worked to avoid it. He stated that Arab-Iranian relations in the Gulf cannot be built on confrontations and conflicts.

Iran launched missiles and drones at the UAE during the war. On May 10, the UAE Ministry of Defense reported that air defenses engaged two drones from Iran. Since the war began in late February—after US and Israeli attacks on Iran—the UAE had intercepted 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,265 other threats.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the UAE conducted strikes on Iran, including an attack on a refinery on Lavan Island in early April. The UAE has not publicly acknowledged those operations.

A ceasefire between the US and Iran has held for about a month. Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. That blockade has driven up global oil prices. The US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran into accepting its terms.

On Sunday, Iran sent the US a counter-offer outlining demands to end the war and reopen the strait. Trump rejected it as totally unacceptable and a piece of garbage. He said the ceasefire was on massive life support.