UAE denies entering Iran war after reports of striking Tehran's desalination facility

A general view of the luxury Burj al-Arab Hotel at Jumeirah area in Dubai

• UAE allegedly hit Iranian desalination plant, then denied it
• UAE intercepted 16 Iranian missiles and most of 117 drones
• UAE considering freezing billions in Iranian assets amid conflict

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The United Arab Emirates is believed to have launched its first retaliatory strike against Iran on Sunday, targeting a desalination facility, according to reports, though a senior UAE official later denied the country was involved in such an attack.

A source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post that the UAE struck a desalination plant — a facility used to remove salt and other minerals from seawater or salty groundwater to produce fresh drinking water — in what would have been its first retaliatory strike on Iran following waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks.

However, a senior UAE official later denied to The Jerusalem Post that the country carried out a strike on an Iranian desalination facility. It is the Post’s understanding that the UAE would not target a civilian installation if it entered the conflict, but would instead strike a military site.

The report said the strike, if confirmed, would mark the UAE’s first direct response to Iranian drone and missile fire amid the ongoing war involving Israel, the US and Iran.

Israeli outlet Ynet also reported that a UAE strike would represent a significant escalation in the conflict by bringing another Gulf state directly into military operations against Iran.

The UAE had been considering its response after Abu Dhabi and several Gulf nations came under attack from Iran following strikes launched by the US and Israel on February 28. Last week, authorities in the UAE’s Fujairah extinguished a fire caused by debris after air defences intercepted a drone in the Fujairah oil industry zone.

On Sunday, the UAE’s defence ministry said the death toll from Iranian attacks had risen to four. It said air defences intercepted 16 missiles launched by Iran, while a 17th fell into the sea. The UAE also said it intercepted most of the 117 drones launched by Iran, though four fell on its territory.

A report by The Wall Street Journal on Friday said the UAE was considering freezing billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian assets, a move that could cripple Iran’s links to the global economy.

Along with the UAE, the governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain reported Iranian drone attacks on Saturday and early Sunday, with a major fire engulfing a government office block in Kuwait.

On Saturday, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned the country’s adversaries, saying that while the UAE was “in a time of war”, it was not an “easy prey”.

“The UAE is attractive, but don’t be misled by the UAE’s appearance. The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh – we are no easy prey,” Al Nahyan, who is also ruler of Abu Dhabi, said in comments aired on Abu Dhabi TV.

His remarks came after Iran issued an unusual apology to neighbouring states for recent attacks, apparently seeking to calm regional anger over strikes on Gulf civilian targets. However, Iran’s top leadership later asserted that it would not stop attacks on neighbouring countries it accuses of colluding with the US and Israel.