According to Bloomberg, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been doing everything possible to convince Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join a coordinated military response to Iran's strikes, thus forming a coalition in the region.
Points of attention
- The UAE increased cooperation with Israel in air defense and intelligence sharing in response to Iranian attacks.
- Reports suggest joint measures were taken to intercept drones and missiles amidst the escalating tensions in the region.
The UAE held secret talks with its allies
According to media insiders, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a series of calls to leaders of the Gulf countries.
These negotiations began just after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026.
Official Abu Dhabi tried to convince its allies of the importance of jointly deterring the Iranian regime, which attacked Middle Eastern states with hundreds of drones and missiles.
According to anonymous sources, Saudi Arabia and Qatar immediately made it clear that they did not want to participate in any military coordination.
These countries were convinced that the conflict would not affect them.
However, the refusal caused a deterioration in relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, the UAE, according to sources, has increased cooperation with Israel in the field of air defense and intelligence sharing. There are also reports of coordination of actions against Iranian attacks and joint measures to intercept drones and missiles.
