Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on 2026-05-13 that he made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates during the Iran war and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The office said the meeting produced a "historic breakthrough" in ties between Israel and the UAE. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Reuters, as cited by several reports, said the meeting took place on 2026-03-26 in Al Ain, near the Oman border. Those reports said it was the first confirmed meeting between Netanyahu and the Emirati president. They also said the trip came during the fighting between Iran and Israel, which some accounts described as the US-Israel war on Iran. [2, 3, 4, 5]
The UAE foreign ministry denied the reports and said Netanyahu did not visit the country. It also denied that an Israeli military delegation was received there, calling the claims "baseless" and saying UAE ties with Israel are "public and known." [6, 5]
The reports said the UAE and Israel have deepened ties since the 2020 Abraham Accords. Some also said Israel sent Iron Dome batteries and personnel to the UAE during the war, citing US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Other reports said Mossad director David, also referred to as Dedi, Barnea made at least 2 visits to the UAE during the conflict to coordinate military actions. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Al Jazeera reported on 2026-05-05 that after Iranian attacks on the UAE, Netanyahu called Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and expressed solidarity. The UAE's denial on 2026-05-14 marked the latest public response to the claims about the reported meeting and visit. [4, 6, 5]
