Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [Courtesy of the Prime Minister's Office of Israel]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an Arab nation, during the war with Iran, the Prime Minister's Office of Israel announced on the 14th (local time).

Iran warned that the increasing closeness between Israel and the UAE, a Sunni Muslim country, was a "divisive" ploy and that Israel's collaborators would be held accountable.

The Prime Minister's Office of Israel stated in a statement that day, "Prime Minister Netanyahu secretly visited the UAE during the 'Lion's Roar' operation and held talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan."

The Prime Minister's Office further assessed, "This visit served as a historic breakthrough in the relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates."

A source familiar with the meeting told Reuters that Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met on March 26th in Al Ain, an oasis city bordering Oman, and the meeting lasted for several hours.

The source also revealed that David Barnea, the head of Israel's foreign intelligence agency Mossad, visited the UAE at least twice to coordinate military operations during the war with Iran.

However, the UAE denied that Netanyahu's visit to their country was true.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that day stating, "The UAE denies reports regarding claims that Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the UAE or that he met with an Israeli military delegation within the country."

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed, "The UAE reiterates that its relationship with Israel is conducted openly, widely known, and within the framework of the officially declared Abraham Accords," and asserted, "The relationship between the two countries is not based on opaque or informal agreements."

They added, "All claims of unannounced visits or undisclosed agreements are entirely baseless unless officially announced by the relevant UAE authorities."

In 2020, the UAE, along with Bahrain, recognized Israel as a state and established diplomatic relations under the so-called 'Abraham Accords'.

Since then, the two countries have expanded their cooperation across the board. The close ties between the two nations have been particularly evident in the security sector.

Following the outbreak of the war, Israel dispatched Iron Dome batteries, a low-altitude air defense system, and personnel to operate them to the UAE, which was under intense bombardment from Iran. This marked the first time Israel's renowned Iron Dome air defense system was deployed abroad.

It is assessed that the UAE views its relationship with Israel as leverage for expanding its regional influence and a channel for strengthening communication with the United States.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan [UAE Presidential Palace/EPA=Yonhap News Photo]

If Prime Minister Netanyahu's surprise secret visit to the UAE is true, it suggests that the security alliance between the two countries has been further solidified against their common enemy, Iran. Prior to the establishment of diplomatic ties, Netanyahu had also secretly visited the UAE in 2018 and held talks with President Mohamed.

Upon the release of related reports, Iran warned that Israel's collaborators would be held accountable.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated via X (formerly Twitter) in response to the news of Netanyahu's visit to the UAE in March, "Those who conspire with Israel to foment division will be held accountable."

He emphasized, "Hostility towards the great Iranian nation is a foolish gamble, and conspiring with Israel in that process is unforgivable."

Furthermore, he claimed that Iran was already aware of the facts, stating, "Netanyahu has now revealed what Iranian intelligence agencies communicated to our leadership a long time ago."