Chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reports on a drone attack against a nuclear power plant in the UAE as President Donald Trump is set to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid stalled negotiations with Iran.
The U.S.-brokered alliance designed to counter Iran in the Middle East is showing signs of strain amid tensions between Israel. the United Arab Emirates, an analyst says, as the possibility of a broader conflict with Tehran intensified Sunday.
The friction first surfaced May 13 after Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu’s office said he held a "historic breakthrough" meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a "secret visit" to Al Ain near the Oman border.
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a swift denial following the announcement.
The ministry said, "Its relations with Israel are public. were established within the framework of the well-known and publicly declared Abraham Accords. These relations are not based on secrecy or clandestine arrangements."
IRAN IS 'TRYING TO GIVE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY A HEART ATTACK' BY CLOSING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UAE MINISTER SAYS
President Donald Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are reportedly in close contact multiple times a week amid the ongoing, multi-front wars in Gaza and with Iran.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
It added. "Therefore, any claims regarding undisclosed visits or arrangements are baseless unless issued by the relevant official authorities in the UAE."
"The stakes are high," Middle East Institute analystNatan Sachstold Fox News Digital.
"I imagine the Israelis are working overtime to mend relations with the UAE,. it is too early to tell," he said.
President DonaldTrump spoke with Netanyahu on Sundayas tensions over Iran escalated. with the Israeli leader saying he was "prepared for every scenario."
The leaders discussed the possibility ofrenewing the war with Iranas well as Trump’s recent trip to China. according to the Times of Israel.
Sachs. asenior fellow at the institute, said Netanyahu’s UAE meeting claim "seems like a diplomatic blunder because it embarrasses the UAE."
OFFICIALS IN BIDEN ADMIN WORKED TO UNDERMINE NETANYAHU AFTER CEASEFIRE TALKS COLLAPSED, FORMER AIDE SAYS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani,. United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan join President Trump for the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Sept. 15, 2020.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
"This was an odd move to make since the UAE has been a close partner of Israel. even during this war," Sachs said.
"Either Netanyahu didn't think, or he was thinking about something else — domesticpolitics. It would not be the first time he did that."
"To the degree that the Emirati anger is genuine. it would have meant working to preserve trust with theirGulf Arab ally," Sachs added.
"I would also not rule out Emirati anger at the leak itself. which could be seen as a break of trust — something very important to the Emirati leadership."
TheAbraham Accords, brokered bythe United States in 2020, fundamentally altered the regional balance by normalizing relations between Israel. the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
Security cooperationhas since expanded significantly due to shared concerns over Iran’s military ambitions.
THE FUTURE OF WAR? US-ISRAEL BLITZ ON IRAN UNVEILS NEXT-GEN ALLIED COMBAT
Foreign workers watch a tall plume of black smoke rising after an explosion in the Fujairah industrial zone on March 3. 2026. Iran's strikes on Gulf neighbors since Feb. 28. following a U.S.-Israeli attack, forced the UAE to close its airspace, disrupting travel to the region.(Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images)
That alliance was tested whenIran launched strikes against UAEmilitary and energy infrastructure during Operation Epic Fury.
Israel is said to have deployed Iron Dome air-defense systems and personnel to the UAE, according to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The UAE confirmed Sunday that it had intercepted threedronescoming from the west.
"The UAE received much of the fire from Iran. It is themost vulnerable to Iranian short-rangemissiles, which are more plentiful. cheaper than the medium-range missiles fired at Israel," Sachs said.
"While short-range missiles can be intercepted, Iran has many more of them. The UAE took the most hits. yet it stood out by sticking most clearly to its strategy ofopen partnership with Israel."
"But the public disclosure that Netanyahu himself visited may have just been seen as a step too far," Sachs added.
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.
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