UAE denies Netanyahu visited in ‘secret’ during US-Israel war on Iran

The United Arab Emirates has denied a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office that he secretly visited the Gulf country during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry rejected reports about Netanyahu visiting the UAE or any Israeli military delegation being received on Emirati territory.

The ministry stressed that relations between the UAE and Israel are "public and known" within the framework of the Abraham Accords and "are not based on secrecy or hidden arrangements".

It added that any claims regarding undeclared visits are "baseless" unless announced by official Emirati authorities.

الإمارات تنفي ما يتم تداوله بشأن زيارة رئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي أو استقبال وفد عسكري إسرائيلي pic.twitter.com/rl5XSzX2RG

— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) May 13, 2026

Conflicting statements

Netanyahu's office said the visit occurred during Operation "Lion's Roar" and led to a "historic breakthrough" in relations.

This announcement followed comments by US ambassador Mike Huckabee, who said Israel deployed Iron Dome systems to the UAE during the war.

Tehran targeted the UAE more than any other country during the conflict, which was sparked by US-Israeli attacks in February.

Despite a ceasefire last month, the UAE reported multiple missile and drone attacks from Iran.

The oil-rich nation remains a top US ally and signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 during Donald Trump's first term.

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Source: TRT