Explained: Why the UAE has become a key target in the Iran conflict

Recently, a drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates' al-Dhafra region, causing fire at an electrical generator within the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant complex. The sudden aerial attack triggered an immediate activation of emergency response protocols to contain the blaze at the critical infrastructure facility. UAE, in a statement, clarified that no damage was incurred on the power plant.While triggering widespread international concern, no faction claimed responsibility for the strike. The official statement issued by the UAE notably refrained from attributing blame to any specific party for the hostile action. However, it has recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks. The defence ministry, in a statement, reported that one of the three drones had entered from the western border.Earlier this month, Iran denied attacking the UAE’s Fujairah port. However, according to Al Jazeera, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that the port exists near the Strait of Hormuz, over which Iran exerts maritime control, subjecting any ship travelling to or from the port to be under Iran’s jurisdiction. ANI calls the strike on Sunday the first instance where the first and only operational nuclear power facility on the Arabian Peninsula has been targeted during the ongoing Iran war.Why is Iran targeting the UAE?Since the inception of the conflict, Iran has extensively targeted American allies in the Gulf, especially the UAE. The US military has a significant presence in the country. The Al-Dhafra airbase near Abu Dhabi holds thousands of US troops and advanced equipment, which includes radar and intelligence systems that were hit by the IRGC.In a US brokered agreement, the UAE signed the Abraham Accords and officially recognised Israel in 2020, Iran’s arch-nemesis. Since then, Israel and the UAE have quickly expanded military and intelligence cooperation, including Israel’s weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems, establishing a subsidiary in the Gulf country.During the war, Israel also sent its Iron Dome air defence system, and dozens of troops required to operate it. In an event in Tel Aviv on May 12, Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said the deployment of the advanced radars and missile batteries is due to “an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel based on the Abraham Accords”.Speaking to the ISNA, former IRGC commander and current secretary of Tehran's Expediency Discernment Council, Mohsen Rezaei, said Tehran has not "closed the door to friendship in dealing with the United Arab Emirates, but they should know that Iran's patience has limits"."We are aware that there are relations and exchanges between the UAE and Israel; the UAE should not become entangled in Israel's plots and schemes," he added.On Monday, in his weekly press conference, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said: "While we are highly critical of and hold demands toward neighbouring countries that placed their soil at the disposal of the aggressors, we emphasise that sustainable security in the region requires the establishment of cooperation and efforts toward generating endogenous security by the regional countries themselves."Covert operations in Iran?UAE’s alleged assault on Iran, which was undertaken as retaliation for Iranian attacks on its facilities, included a strike on Iran’s Lazan Island just before the April 7 ceasefire was announced by Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported.According to Al Jazeera, on the morning of April 8, footage and reports from Iranian media indicated attacks on the oil refinery in Lavan, as well as explosions in Siri. Israel and the US denied responsibility for the attacks. Shortly after, in IRGC Telegram channels and online outlets, an image circulated that allegedly showed a UAE-operated Mirage 2000-9, flying over southern Iran. Iranian state media widely reported, without clear attribution, that the UAE’s Mirage fighters carried out the attacks. In retaliation, Iran carried out strikes that were said to be mostly against the UAE.Iranian state-linked analysts also pointed out that in a video released by Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa late last month, when he was being escorted by UAE fighter jets, the F-16E warplanes shown had their national markings and tail numbers stripped. They interpreted this as circumstantial evidence showing that the UAE may have been using the jets against Iran and wanted to limit risks in case they were intercepted. Al Jazeera reported.The UAE, on Friday, said that it retains the right to defend itself against Iran after accusing Tehran of carrying out more than 3,000 missile and drone attacks since February 28.Greater involvement of the UAE if the ceasefire breaks?Donald Trump said on Monday that the ceasefire was hanging by a thread due to Iran’s failure to make the concessions he is seeking over its nuclear programme. Once the ceasefire is abandoned, the UAE may become an even clearer target for Iran. According to a report from The Telegraph, the Trump administration is reportedly encouraging the UAE to have greater and direct involvement in the war against Iran, with some officials suggesting Abu Dhabi seize Iran’s strategically important and energy-abundant Lavan Island.The UAE had also attempted to bring Saudi Arabia and Qatar into joint counterattacks against Iran during the initial days of the war, although those efforts reportedly did not succeed as the nations limited their operations to self-defence against Iranian air attacks.The conflict in the Middle East doesn’t seem to end anytime soon, and it is expected to be more intense with the direct involvement of the UAE. India, which has expressed its deep concern about the nuclear plant attack, calling it a "dangerous escalation", has more to lose with the energy crunch, economic slowdown, and a bleeding rupee.