Anger has swept the United Arab Emirates following the spread of false information by an Israeli source claiming that Abu Dhabi had joined the attack against Iran.
A senior Emirati official told Israel Hayom he could not understand Israel's conduct. "It is not appropriate for a senior Israeli official to speak on our behalf, nor to spread false rumors about the actions or intentions of the UAE," the official said. "This is a sovereign state that makes its own decisions independently. Publications of this kind do not help the regional effort and could damage relations."
אינני יודע מי האידיוט שהפיץ בישראל את הסיפור כאילו איחוד האמירויות הצטרפה למלחמה.
מה שבטוח, הוא גרם נזק חמור לקשרים ייחודיים עם מדינה חברה, ועוד בשעת מלחמה.
למה?
א. כי הדיווח לא נכון!
ב. כי מדינה אחת לא צריכה לדווח על פעילויות של מדינה אחרת. התנהלות כזו היא פוגענית ומתנשאת.
ג.… https://t.co/2Kx7mYeX1Y— Ariel Kahana אריאל כהנא (@arik3000) March 8, 2026
He added, "It is not appropriate for someone called a 'senior Israeli official' to speak on our behalf and/or spread rumors about the actions of another sovereign state."
The senior official's remarks followed a public denial by Dr. Ali al-Nuaimi, who moved quickly to clarify that Israeli media reports claiming the UAE had struck Iran were false. "This is fake news. When we do something, we have the courage to announce it," al-Nuaimi wrote in a response that drew wide attention in Israel.
The false leak by Israeli sources claiming the UAE had joined the attack on Iran came after Israeli loose talk led to the cancellation of the evacuation flight arrangement for Israelis stranded in the Emirates. After Israeli sources revealed that Abu Dhabi had agreed to serve as a stopover for Israelis returning home, Iran attacked the airport with missiles and drones, forcing the authorities there and in Israel to cancel the evacuation plan.
