UAE debunks claims of striking Iran's desalination plant, slams Israeli reportage
The United Arab Emirates has denied reports that it launched a retaliatory strike on Iran targeting a desalination facility. Emirati official Ali Rashid Ali Nuaimi dismissed the claims as false and said the UAE would openly announce any military action it takes.
The United Arab Emirates has denied reports claiming it carried out its first retaliatory strike against Iran on Sunday, following media reports that an Emirati attack targeted a desalination facility in the country.
The reports emerged amid heightened tensions in the region after a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks in recent days, which had prompted speculation that the UAE might respond militarily.
Dr Ali Rashid Ali Nuaimi, a member of the UAE Federal National Council and chairman of its Defence Affairs, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee, dismissed the reports as false. Writing on social media platform X, he described the claims of an Emirati strike on an Iranian desalination plant as fake news and said that if the UAE carried out any military action it would have the courage to announce it publicly.
Nuaimi also stressed that the UAE distinguishes between the Iranian government and its people. He said the Emirati leadership does not place the Iranian people in the same category as the Iranian regime and considers them to be the primary victims of its policies. As neighbouring countries, he said, the UAE recognises this reality and remains concerned about the wellbeing of ordinary Iranians.
Separately, an Emirati source told The Times of Israel that the reports were completely unfounded. The source reiterated that if the UAE takes any action, it would officially announce it rather than allowing speculation to circulate.
The source also criticised reports attributed to unnamed Israeli officials, saying it was inappropriate for so called senior Israeli figures to speak on behalf of the UAE or speculate about its intentions. According to the source, the UAE does not comment on the actions or plans of other countries and expects friendly nations to follow the same principle.
Earlier reports had suggested otherwise. A source familiar with the matter told the Jerusalem Post that the UAE had struck an Iranian desalination facility, marking what would have been its first retaliatory attack after recent Iranian strikes.
Israeli news outlet Ynet also reported that such an attack would represent a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, potentially drawing another Gulf state directly into military operations against Iran.