Breaking
A portrait of Iran’s former supreme leader, the now-deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sits on a pile of debris in the southern suburb of Dahieh, Lebanon on May 6, 2026. (Silvia Casadei – Middle East Images – AFP / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin May 11, 2026 at 3:14pm
The United Arab Emirates has been quietly striking Iran as the United States and Israel carry out the conflict with the Islamic nation.
The Wall Street Journal published a report on Monday citing unnamed people who are familiar with the UAE, an Arab state, attacking Iran.
The UAE has not yet publicly acknowledged the attacks.
UAE military assets were involved in a strike on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island, which is in the Persian Gulf, early last month.
Breaking: The U.A.E. has been secretly carrying out attacks on Iran https://t.co/f5xubUJXi5
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 11, 2026
The strike occurred while President Donald Trump was announcing a ceasefire, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Iran responded by striking the UAE and Kuwait.
One of the people who spoke with The Wall Street Journal said that the United States has quietly welcomed the UAE and other Gulf states striking Iran.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the report, as did the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, although it pointed to past statements affirming the nation’s right to react militarily against hostile actions.
Iran has hit the UAE with more than 2,800 missile and drone attacks, outpacing attacks on Israel and every other country involved in the conflict.
The UAE is a predominantly Sunni Islamic nation, while the Iranian regime affirms Shia Islam.
Dina Esfandiary, a Middle East analyst, told The Wall Street Journal it was “significant to have a Gulf Arab country as a warring party that struck Iran directly.”
“Tehran will now aim to further drive a wedge between the UAE and other Gulf Arabs who are trying to mediate an end to the war,” she added.
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
