UAE Denies Netanyahu Held Secret Meeting During Iran War as Israel Claimed March 26 Breakthrough
Updated
Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 13
UAE Denies Netanyahu Held Secret Meeting During Iran War as Israel Claimed March 26 Breakthrough
12 articles · Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 13
The UAE foreign ministry said reports that Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit were "baseless," directly rejecting Israel's account of a secret wartime meeting with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
Israel's prime minister's office had said earlier Wednesday that Netanyahu traveled to the UAE during Operation "Lion's Roar" and, in earlier reporting, tied the meeting to a March 26 session in Al-Ain.
That contradiction surfaced as the Iran war kept widening across the Gulf, with hidden regional military actions and shipping disruptions already straining energy and aviation supplies.
The episode also lands amid fresh political pressure on Netanyahu at home, where his ruling coalition has proposed dissolving the 120-seat Knesset and holding early elections.
Can the UAE's high-tech alliance with Israel protect its economy from the escalating conflict?
Did the Abraham Accords pave the way for regional peace or an inevitable, devastating war with Iran?
Has the UAE become a strategic partner or a proxy battleground in the escalating war against Iran?
"Missiles, Alliances, and Aftershocks: The 2026 Israel-UAE Military Pact Amid the US-Israel War with Iran"
Overview
Amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran in March 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the UAE to meet President Mohammed bin Zayed. This covert meeting marked a deepening of Israel-UAE strategic ties as Iran launched heavy attacks on the UAE, making it the most targeted country in the region. In response, Abu Dhabi sought help from its allies, leading to the rapid deployment of Israeli Iron Dome air defense systems and personnel to the UAE. This unprecedented military cooperation transformed their relationship from diplomatic normalization to a direct security alliance, reshaping regional power dynamics and security strategies.