US Officials Pushing UAE to Seize Iranian Island: Telegraph

Several American officials are urging the United Arab Emirates to seize one of Iran's strategic islands in the Gulf, advocating for deeper Emirati involvement in the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to a report by The Telegraph citing a former senior security official in the Trump administration.

The proposal comes as the US-Israeli aggression against the Iranian people continues. Iran has responded by striking Israeli targets and US military facilities across West Asia.

Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE may have already carried out several acts of aggression on Iranian territory before the ceasefire, including an attack on the oil refinery on Lavan Island. Now, according to The Telegraph, some individuals close to President Donald Trump believe Abu Dhabi should go further and seize the island outright.

"It would be UAE boots on the ground instead of US," the source told The Telegraph, suggesting that Washington is looking for Gulf proxies to escalate the ground campaign against Iran while keeping American troops out of direct combat.

UAE's deepening role in the war on Iran

The reported push for Emirati seizure of Iranian territory underscores the UAE's increasingly active role in the US-Israeli war on Iran. The UAE has hosted American and Israeli military assets throughout the war, including an Iron Dome battery with Israeli personnel, and has reportedly launched its own aggression on Iranian soil.

Iran has repeatedly warned that any country hosting enemy forces or allowing its territory to be used for attacks against the Islamic Republic will be considered a legitimate military target. Tehran has already struck Emirati infrastructure in retaliation, including airports, oil facilities, and the area around Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

Seizing an Iranian island would represent a dramatic escalation of the UAE's involvement, potentially drawing the Gulf monarchy deeper into a war that has already destabilized the region and disrupted global energy markets. Iran has consistently maintained that its actions are lawful defensive measures under international law, taken in response to unprovoked US-Israeli aggression.

UAE denies reports of visit

This news comes amid continued denial from the United Arab Emirates regarding claims that Netanyahu visited the country during the recent US-Israeli aggression on Iran.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said, “The UAE denies what is being circulated regarding a visit by the Israeli Prime Minister or the reception of an Israeli military delegation.”

Earlier Israeli media reports had alleged that a high-level meeting took place on March 26 in Al-Ain, during a period of heightened regional tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Other Israeli outlets have also reported claims of expanded security and intelligence coordination between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv during the same period, including alleged visits by senior intelligence officials.