Brief

The UAE has been drawn into openly acknowledging defense ties with Israel, despite preferring discretion. This exposure occurred after US Ambassador to Israel, Mick Huckabee, confirmed the deployment of Israeli Iron Dome air defense batteries to the UAE to protect against Iranian attacks. Further complicating matters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office revealed his secret visit to the UAE in late March to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a meeting Netanyahu's office described as a "historic breakthrough." AI

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed that any agreement to end the conflict with Iran should mandate that several additional countries join the Abraham Accords. During a conference call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, and others, Trump urged them to normalize relations with Israel. While some leaders expressed surprise, Trump indicated that his envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would follow up on this initiative in the coming weeks. AI