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| Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a ceremony commemorating Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Ilia Yefimovich/Pool Photo via AP) |
Israeli Prime Minister’s reported meeting with UAE leaders signals deepening regional ties after the Iran conflict.
Benjamin Netanyahu secretly traveled to the United Arab Emirates during the recent Israel-US conflict with Iran, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.
Netanyahu reportedly met UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a confidential meeting that Israel described as a “historic breakthrough” in relations between the two countries.
The announcement came shortly after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had deployed Iron Dome defense systems and personnel to the UAE during the conflict, highlighting growing military and security cooperation.
The UAE has not officially confirmed Netanyahu’s visit. However, Emirati state media previously reported that Netanyahu contacted the UAE leadership to condemn Iranian attacks and express solidarity with the Gulf nation.
The UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, and ties between the two countries have continued to expand despite rising regional tensions.