DUBAI, MAY 13: Mossad chief David Barnea visited the UAE at least twice during Operation Roaring Lion to coordinate regarding the war, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing Arab officials and a source familiar with the matter. Barnea reportedly flew to the UAE in March and April.

According to KAN News, Shin Bet chief David Zini also visited the UAE, and the two countries were coordinated on security issues during the war.

The report comes just after the WSJ published that the UAE was behind some of the recent strikes against Iranian assets, such as the attacks on Lavan Island’s refinery at the beginning of April.

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According to the report, which cited sources informed in the matter, the UAE carried out the strikes secretly as a response to Iran targeting Emirati civilian and energy infrastructures.

Iran later sent another barrage of drones and missiles against both the UAE and Kuwait in response to this attack, even if there was no official confirmation of who was behind it at that time.

A cleric walks near a residential building damaged by a strike on March 4, in Tehran, Iran, April 14, 2026.
A cleric walks near a residential building damaged by a strike on March 4, in Tehran, Iran, April 14, 2026. (credit: THAIER AL-SUDANI/REUTERS)
Israel and the UAE have continued to grow their partnership in the shadow of the Iran war, with United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirming that Israel sent Iron Dome batteries to the United Arab Emirates to use in defense against Iranian attacks during an interview at a Thursday Tel Aviv University conference.

“Can I say a word of appreciation for the United Arab Emirates… they were the first Abraham Accords member,” Huckabee said when asked about a potential expansion of the Abraham Accords.

“Look at the benefits,” he said. “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.”

More players in Iran war revealed
On Tuesday, Reuters revealed that Saudi Arabia launched numerous, unpublicized strikes on Iran in retaliation for attacks carried out in the kingdom during the Middle East war, marking the first time the kingdom is known to have directly carried out military action on Iranian soil.

The attacks, launched by the Saudi Air Force, were assessed to have been carried out in late March, the two Western officials said. One said only that they were “tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi [Arabia] was hit.”

Reuters was unable to confirm what the specific targets were.

In response to a request for comment, a senior Saudi foreign ministry official did not directly address whether strikes had been carried out.