UAE Failed to Rally Saudi Arabia and Qatar for Joint Strike After 3,000 Iranian Attacks
Updated
Updated · Middle East Eye · May 15
UAE Failed to Rally Saudi Arabia and Qatar for Joint Strike After 3,000 Iranian Attacks
11 articles · Updated · Middle East Eye · May 15
Mohamed bin Zayed sought a coordinated Gulf attack on Iran after nearly 3,000 Iranian missiles and drones hit the UAE, but Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other leaders rejected the plan, Bloomberg reported.
The failed push followed the 28 February US-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation across the Gulf, with the UAE bearing the heaviest damage and pressing hardest for a tougher military response.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE later struck Iran separately rather than jointly: Saudi action was described as measured before it backed Pakistani mediation, while the UAE hit energy targets including Lavan Island in early April.
The split has widened Saudi-UAE tensions, with Abu Dhabi criticizing the Gulf response, pushing unsuccessfully at the UN for force over Hormuz, and ultimately leaving OPEC in May.
Israel has moved closer to the UAE during the conflict, with US ambassador Mike Huckabee saying Israel sent Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help defend the country from further Iranian attacks.
Playing peacemaker while arming Iran, what is China's true endgame in the Middle East crisis?
As the UAE and Israel forge a wartime bond, is the old Gulf Cooperation Council now permanently fractured?
With Iran's military reportedly destroyed, what is President Trump's ultimate exit strategy from the conflict?
After the 2026 Iran-Israel-US Conflict: Economic Shock, UAE’s OPEC Departure, and Gulf Security Realignment
Overview
The report details how the US and Israel’s strikes against Iran in February 2026, which killed Iran’s supreme leader, triggered a rapid crisis across the Middle East. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and US-allied Gulf states, causing the conflict to escalate and spread to Lebanon, resulting in widespread casualties and damage. Gulf states, especially the UAE, faced heavy Iranian missile strikes, leading to anger and calls for unity. The crisis exposed deep divisions among Gulf countries, disrupted global energy markets, and forced regional powers to reconsider alliances and security strategies, setting the stage for lasting geopolitical and economic shifts.