Report: UAE secretly struck Iran's Lavan refinery during the war
The WSJ says Mirage 2000 jets hit a Gulf island refinery, making the UAE the only third country to attack Iran — after Tehran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Emirati targets
Summary
The Wall Street Journal reported that the United Arab Emirates, citing people familiar, struck Iran's Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf — including a refinery — around early April 2026, making the Emirates the only country besides the US and Israel to attack Iran during the war. Analysts and Iranian state media identified UAE Air Force Mirage 2000 jets; the UAE confirmed Mirages were scrambled to intercept drones but did not confirm or deny a strike. Its foreign ministry declined to comment, pointing to earlier statements asserting a "right to respond" to Iranian attacks. By 1 April, the UAE's defence ministry said Iran had fired 438 ballistic missiles, 2,012 drones and 19 cruise missiles at the Emirates; earlier strikes hit Dubai and Abu Dhabi, damaging airport terminals and the Burj Al Arab. Mohammed Bin Zayed was the Gulf's most hawkish voice before backing the ceasefire.
By the numbers
- 1 — third country, after the US and Israel, reported to have struck Iran.
- 438 / 2,012 / 19 — Iranian ballistic missiles / drones / cruise missiles at the UAE (per UAE MoD, by 1 April).
- early April 2026 — reported timing of the Lavan refinery strike.
Why it matters
If confirmed, the strike marks a sharp departure from the UAE's hedging posture and reveals how directly the war drew in the Gulf. It complicates MBZ's pivot to Arab coordination and a Hormuz reopening, and gives Tehran a grievance against Abu Dhabi as the ceasefire's implementation begins.
What to watch
- Whether the UAE ever acknowledges the strike or Iran retaliates diplomatically.
- How the Lavan episode shapes UAE-Iran relations under the MoU.
- Any further detail from US or Iranian sources on the operation.