The UAE denied involvement in the attack on a desalination plant in Iran
The United Arab Emirates has denied involvement in the strike on Iranian territory. This was reported on 8 March by The Jerusalem Post, citing a senior UAE official.
Earlier, the Israeli online publication Ynet wrote that the UAE had struck desalination plants in Iran. The publication noted that, according to Israel's assessment, this strike could be a signal to the Iranian regime. It was also suggested that if Iran intensified its attacks, the UAE could join the military campaign of Israel and the United States against Iran, albeit on a limited scale.
The Jerusalem Post also noted that the possible attack could have been a response to the launch of Iranian missiles and drones.
According to the AP, citing the UAE Ministry of Defence, on 8 March, the country's air defence forces intercepted 16 of the 17 missiles launched from Iranian territory. The last missile, according to available data, fell into the sea.
It was also reported that almost all drones launched from Iran were intercepted. At the same time, four drones fell on UAE territory.
In response to these events, the UAE Ministry of Defence announced its readiness to respond harshly to threats.
In a later publication on 8 March, The Jerusalem Post quoted an unnamed senior UAE official who denied reports of an attack on an Iranian desalination plant. According to the publication's source, if the UAE had decided to go to war, the strike would have been directed not at a civilian facility but at a military target.
At the same time, Reuters reported, citing a spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces, that Israel had not carried out strikes on desalination plants in Iran and had not targeted such facilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 8 March that the air strike on the desalination plant on Kish Island was carried out by the United States.
The diplomat noted that in this way, "the US, not Iran, set a precedent" in a region where drinking water supplies are limited.
On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iranian territory. In response, Iran carried out missile and drone attacks on Israel and Middle Eastern countries that are allies of the United States.
In particular, the Persian Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, were attacked.
Tehran claims that the targets of the Iranian strikes were American military bases and logistics facilities in these countries.
As a result of the US and Israeli military operation, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic were killed.
The parties to the conflict continue to engage in hostilities.
