UAE strikes Iran as Israel security ties deepen, Bloomberg reports

The United Arab Emirates carried out multiple strikes on Iran during the Middle East war, including attacks coordinated with Israel, Bloomberg reported May 13, 2026, citing people familiar with the matter. The reported action marks a significant escalation by a Gulf state that was targeted heavily by Iranian drones and missiles. One strike was an Israeli-coordinated response to an Iranian attack on the UAE’s Borouge petrochemicals facility in April 2026, the report said. The UAE also targeted an Iranian refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, according to the report. The strikes occurred both before and after the April 08, 2026, ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran. The UAE, which recognized Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, has expanded security cooperation with Israel, including intelligence sharing, attack detection, missile interception and target selection, Bloomberg reported. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Israel sent Iron Dome batteries and operating personnel to the UAE during the war.