UAE persuaded Gulf states to launch joint strike on Iran - Bloomberg

The United Arab Emirates tried to persuade Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries in the region to join a coordinated military response to Iran's missile strikes but faced rejection, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held a series of telephone talks with regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, agency sources said. The Emirati leader was convinced of the need for a collective response to contain Iran, Bloomberg's sources said.

Iran responded to the strikes by the United States and Israel by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Persian Gulf countries, including ports and airports, residential towers and hotels. The Emirates were the most heavily targeted, with Iran launching nearly 3,000 drones and missiles at them. In addition, Iran blocked the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which forced the Gulf countries to reduce oil and natural gas production and hit their finances, the agency notes.

According to a source familiar with Abu Dhabi's position, the UAE president decided to coordinate with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and Israel, but other Gulf Arab leaders told him it was "not their war." As a result, the already strained relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia have further deteriorated, Bloomberg notes. According to the agency's sources, the UAE carried out limited strikes against Iran without the support of other Gulf states starting in March and then in April. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the UAE was the only country in the region directly involved in the conflict, citing sources.

Government officials in the UAE and Saudi Arabia did not respond to Bloomberg's requests for comment.

These previously unreleased details may explain the UAE's dissatisfaction with the stance of other Arab states, which culminated in the country's historic decision to withdraw from OPEC, as well as to the strengthening of relations with Israel, Bloomberg notes.

In addition, the UAE is reviewing its participation in regional groupings, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In addition to disagreements over the war with Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia remain economic rivals and have divergent views on the conflicts in Yemen and Sudan, Bloomberg notes.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor