The United Arab Emirates conducted undisclosed military counter-strikes on Iran, including a direct hit on a key oil refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The strikes occurred around April 8, at the same time the United States was solidifying a ceasefire in the broader regional conflict.
At the time, Iranian authorities described the incident as an attack by “enemy fire” on the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company facility but did not publicly identify the perpetrator. Iran responded by launching missile and drone strikes on targets in the UAE and Kuwait.
“Missile and drone attacks on the Emirates and Kuwait have taken place a few hours after the targeting of Lavan island oil facilities in Iran,” Iranian state media reported at the time.
The UAE has not publicly confirmed or denied involvement in the strikes on Iranian territory. Officials in Abu Dhabi have repeatedly stated the country’s right to defend itself against Iranian attacks, and just last week said they would “strike back” against Iran if the ceasefire fails to hold.
During the preceding period of intensified conflict, the UAE reported sustaining more than 2,800 missiles and drones fired at its territory—far more than any other Gulf state. Analysts have attributed the targeting to the UAE’s close ties with the United States and Israel, as well as its role in providing alternative oil trade routes that bypassed Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE has also withdrawn from OPEC and deployed vessels to circumvent the blockade.
The reported UAE actions took place amid a wider pattern of exchanges. Iran had conducted repeated drone and missile operations against UAE infrastructure, including a May 4 strike that caused a large fire at the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone and injured three individuals. UAE air defenses engaged incoming projectiles on multiple occasions in early May.
The Lavan Island strike was described by unnamed U.S. defense officials, who spoke with the Wall Street Journal on the condition of anonymity, as part of a series of covert UAE operations inside Iran. No casualties were reported as a result of the refinery strike itself, and exact details on additional operations are unknown as of this report.
As of Monday, May 11, the U.S.-Iran cease-fire remains in effect, though President Trump has stressed that it is on “life support” after weeks of negotiations that have failed to result in a lasting peace agreement.
He added that the situation resembles one “where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 percent chance of living,’” and hinted at a resumption of outright hostilities if a deal cannot be reached.
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