JAKARTA - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secretly carried out a series of attacks on Iran amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.
TheWallStreetJournal reported that one of the targets of the attack was an oil refinery on Lavan Island, Iran, according to an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
The Iranian refinery was hit in early April, when US President Donald Trump was about to announce a ceasefire with Iran. The attack caused a major fire and made the facility stop operating, the report added.
Iran then retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones on the UAE and Kuwait. One source said the US was secretly welcoming the Emirate's involvement in the war.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Iran has targeted more attacks on the UAE than any other country, including Israel, with more than 2,800 missile and drone attacks on the Gulf country.
The attacks caused major damage to the UAE economy, triggering layoffs and temporary leave for workers.
The attack also triggered a fundamental change in the country's strategic outlook, which now makes Iran a rogue actor determined to undermine the economic and social model of the country, which relies on expatriate labor as well as its reputation for security and stability.
Meanwhile, in a similar report, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not comment on the attack. However, the ministry pointed to a previous statement confirming that Abu Dhabi has the right to respond to hostile acts.
"This is significant because there are Gulf Arab countries that are parties to the war and directly attack Iran. Iran will now try to widen the gap between the UAE and other Gulf Arab countries that are trying to mediate the end of the war," Middle East analyst Dina Esfandiary told the newspaper.
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