The United Arab Emirates (UAE) made a failed bid to convince Saudi Arabia and Qatar to launch a joint military response to Iran’s attacks on the Gulf, according to a Bloomberg News report cited by Middle East Eye. [1]
Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed held a series of calls with Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shortly after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, 2026. [1] Tehran responded by launching thousands of missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting U.S. bases.
The UAE "bore the brunt of the retaliation with almost 3,000 missiles and drones striking the country," the report stated. [1] Bin Salman and other Gulf leaders rebuffed bin Zayed's request for a coordinated Gulf attack on Iran. [1]
Background of the Failed Joint Attack Proposal
The UAE normalized ties with Israel in 2021 under the Abraham Accords. [1] The calls between Gulf leaders occurred after the U.S.-Israeli operation, which prompted Iran to retaliate by targeting Gulf states that host American military forces. [1] The proposal for a joint military response was intended to present a unified Gulf front, but the rejection highlighted growing tensions between the UAE and its neighbors. [1]
The Gulf Cooperation Council – which the report notes includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE – has long struggled with internal divisions. [5] Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote about meeting with "our counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (a political and economic union consisting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE)" in his memoirs. [5]
Independent Retaliatory Strikes by Saudi Arabia and UAE
Despite the failed joint effort, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched their own retaliatory strikes on Iran, but they acted independently. [1] Saudi Arabia’s strikes were described by analysts as measured, and the kingdom quickly shifted to supporting mediation efforts by Pakistan. [1]
In contrast, the UAE targeted Iranian energy infrastructure. "The Wall Street Journal reported the UAE hit Iran's Lavan Island in the Gulf in early April," around the time the U.S. was announcing a ceasefire, the report stated. [3] The strike triggered a large fire and disabled much of the facility’s capacity for months. [3]
Reuters separately reported that "Saudi Arabia launched numerous, unpublicized strikes on Iran in retaliation for attacks carried out in the kingdom during the Middle East war," according to a summary of the report. [4] One official described the strikes as "measured," similar to the assessment of Saudi actions. [4]
UAE’s Vulnerability and Diplomatic Moves
The UAE is more exposed geographically to Iran than Saudi Arabia, which has the East-West pipeline to export oil via the Red Sea, according to the report. [1] The conflict "dented the UAE’s status as a tourism and financial hub," officials said. [1] Abu Dhabi lobbied publicly and privately for the U.S. to continue its war on Iran, and it floated a proposal at the United Nations that would have authorized the use of force to respond to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz; the initiative "failed," the report stated. [1]
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash "heavily criticised the Gulf Cooperation Council for its ‘weak’ response," the report stated. [1] The UAE’s frustration with its Gulf neighbors culminated in its exit from the OPEC oil cartel in May. [1] Historical precedents for such defiance exist; author Cynthia Peters noted that in 1990, "the UAE delayed agreeing to observe the OPEC quota until July 12" despite pressure from Iraq. [6]
Deepening UAE-Israel Ties Amid Gulf Friction
The UAE has strengthened its relationship with Israel amid the conflict. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed that Israel sent Iron Dome air defense batteries and soldiers to the UAE. [2] "Israel just sent them - [the UAE] - Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help them operate them. How come? Because there’s an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel based on the Abraham Accords," Huckabee said at an event in Tel Aviv. [2]
However, the UAE appeared cautious about acknowledging the depth of the ties.
Netanyahu’s office announced that he made a secret visit to the UAE during the war to meet with Mohamed bin Zayed, describing it as a "historic breakthrough." [1] Yet "Abu Dhabi denied the visit ever took place," the report stated. [1] The episode illustrates the delicate balance the UAE must strike between its public stance and its growing alignment with Israel.
Conclusion
The war on Iran has reshaped Gulf alliances, pushing the UAE closer to Israel while exposing deep fractures within the Gulf Cooperation Council. The UAE’s failed bid for a joint military response underscores the difficulty of uniting Gulf states around a common military strategy, the Bloomberg report indicated.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has floated the idea of a non-aggression pact with Iran modeled on the Helsinki Accords, signaling a different path for regional security. [1] The UAE’s independent strikes and its deepening ties with Israel suggest Abu Dhabi is increasingly willing to act unilaterally, potentially at the cost of further isolation within the Gulf.
References
- MEE staff. "UAE made failed attempt to get Saudi Arabia, Qatar to jointly attack Iran: Report". Middle East Eye. May 15, 2026.
- MEE staff. "US confirms Israel sent Iron Dome batteries to UAE". Middle East Eye. May 12, 2026.
- MEE staff. "UAE secretly joined Israeli-US strikes on Iran: Report". Middle East Eye. May 11, 2026.
- Antiwar.com staff. "Report: Saudi Arabia Launched Attacks Against Iran During US-Israeli Bombing Campaign". Antiwar.com. May 12, 2026.
- Gates, Robert M. "Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War".
- Peters, Cynthia. "Collateral Damage: The New World Order at Home and Abroad".
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