UAE Secretly Struck Iran's Lavan Island Refinery, WSJ Reports
The refinery strike sparked a major fire and knocked much of its capacity offline for months, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- On May 11, 2026, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United Arab Emirates secretly conducted military strikes against Iran, including an early April attack on the Lavan Island refinery that disabled processing capacity for months.
- Relentless Iranian missile and drone barrages, totaling more than 2,800 attacks throughout the conflict, prompted Abu Dhabi to shift its reactive posture and initiate direct military operations against Iranian assets.
- Although the UAE has not publicly acknowledged the strikes, the U.S. government quietly welcomed the Gulf state's participation, according to people familiar with the matter cited by the Journal.
- Iran described the refinery blast as an "enemy attack" and immediately retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting both the UAE and Kuwait, escalating the regional conflict.
- Analysts warn that direct Gulf participation risks further paralyzing energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, as the conflict's expansion threatens to disrupt global shipping and deepen regional instability.
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The Wall Street Journal a raportat luni că Emiratele Arabo Unite (EAU) au desfurat propriile operađiuni militare împotriva Iranului în aprilie, în timp ce doar Statele Unite şi Israeliul revendică will participate in the attack împotriva Teheranului, notează AFP, potrivit Agerpres.
Report: UAE Has Been Secretly Striking Iran
The United Arab Emirates hasn't confirmed it publicly, but insiders say it is a direct combatant in the Iran war. The Wall Street Journal , citing "people familiar with the matter," reports that the UAE has quietly carried out airstrikes on Iranian targets, including an early April hit on a refinery...
According to reports in the American press, the United Arab Emirates had conducted military operations against Iran in April, while only the United States and Israel had so far claimed to have participated in the attacks on Tehran.
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Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources lean Right
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