MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The United Arab Emirates has been hit hard by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. According to official data from the region and the UAE's defense ministry, the small Gulf nation has seen more Iranian missiles and drones during the war than any other country, including Israel. That's pushed the Emirates into a closer alliance with Israel. As NPR's Aya Batrawy reports, that's something the UAE prefers to keep under the radar.
AYA BATRAWY, BYLINE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a headline-grabbing announcement this week. His office says he, quote, "secretly visited" the United Arab Emirates during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, resulting in a, quote, "historic breakthrough in relations." It was the first publicly confirmed visit by Netanyahu to the UAE since the two countries established ties with the Abraham Accords in 2020. But within hours, the UAE released its own statement saying the visit never happened. It said any claims to the contrary are unfounded.
The quick rebuttal of a visit that Israeli journalists say likely happened on March 26, a month into the Iran war, highlights just how sensitive it is for an Arab state to host Netanyahu, who Israeli media say likely leaked this statement to boost his popularity ahead of the country's elections this year. His far-right government is viewed across the region as extremist and destabilizing. And Netanyahu is wanted by the international criminal court for war crimes in Gaza, allegations he denies. Still, during the war, the UAE looked to Israel to boost its defenses as it took a more hawkish stance towards Iran. Here's U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee speaking in Tel Aviv this week.
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MIKE HUCKABEE: Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them. How come? Because there's an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel based on the Abraham Accords.
BATRAWY: But the UAE also denies there were ever Israeli troops in the country. It prefers to keep its security ties with Israel quiet. That's in part because also watching is Iran.
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ABBAS ARAGHCHI: By now, it ought to be clear that Iran is unbreakable and only emerges stronger and more united when under pressure.
BATRAWY: That was Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaking at a summit of Brick's countries in India this week. He also had a warning for the UAE.
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ARAGHCHI: (Speaking Farsi).
BATRAWY: He told Iranian media at the summit that even U.S. bases in the region weren't spared in this war. He said the U.S. and Israel will not bring the UAE security, that only a change in Abu Dhabi's policy can.
Aya Batrawy, NPR News, Dubai.
(SOUNDBITE OF THIS WILL DESTROY YOU'S "LEATHER WINGS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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