Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a so-called "secret visit" to the United Arab Emirates for a meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his office announced on Wednesday. The trip was described as a "historic breakthrough" in relations between Israel and the UAE, though the exact date was not disclosed.

There was no immediate confirmation from the UAE. Analysts suggest the visit reflects expanding cooperation between the two countries, particularly on security issues related to Iran.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this week that Israel had deployed Iron Dome air defense batteries and personnel to the UAE to help counter potential Iranian attacks.

According to the UAE's state news agency WAM, after Iranian attacks on the country on May 5, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received calls from several regional leaders, including Netanyahu, who expressed solidarity with the UAE and support for measures to protect its security and stability.

The UAE and other Arab countries came under Iranian missile and drone attacks after the US and Israel began bombing Iran in late February. A fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US has been in place since April 8.

Relations between Israel and the UAE have grown gradually since the signing of the so-called Abraham Accords in 2020, a US-brokered agreement that normalized ties between Israel and several Arab states. Palestinian leaders condemned the deal as a "stab in the back."

Since then, Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, as well as nearly daily deadly raids and attacks in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has been evading an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over war crimes charges in Gaza since November 2024.

Source: www.aljazeera.com