Israeli Military Chief Secretly Visited UAE During Iran War: Report

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir and other senior officers secretly visited the UAE during the recent war with Iran, according to Israeli state media. Zamir met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and senior security officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reportedly visited the UAE, but the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied this. The visits highlight strengthening ties between Israel and the UAE following the Abraham Accords.

Key Points: Israeli military chief secretly visited UAE during Iran war

  • Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir secretly visited UAE during Iran war
  • Met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Israeli PM Netanyahu also reportedly visited, but UAE denied
  • Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs also made secret trips
2 min read

Israeli military chief secretly visited UAE during war with Iran: Israeli state media

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir secretly visited UAE during war with Iran, meeting President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, per state media report.

Israeli military chief secretly visited UAE during war with Iran: Israeli state media
"The visits indicate a strengthening of ties between Israel and the UAE. - Kan TV News"

Jerusalem, May 15

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir and other senior officers secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during the recent war with Iran, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported on Friday.

The channel said that during his visit, Zamir met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and senior security officials.

The channel did not specify the exact date of the visit during the war, which broke out on February 28 and lasted until a ceasefire on April 8, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that he had secretly visited the UAE during the war and met with the UAE President.

However, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that Netanyahu had visited the country.

Previous media reports said that the chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, and the head of Israel's domestic security agency Shin Bet, David Zini, also secretly visited the UAE during the war.

Kan noted that the visits indicate a strengthening of ties between Israel and the UAE.

The UAE has, over the past few years, emerged as one of Israel's most important regional partners following the normalisation agreements signed under the Abraham Accords. Trade, technology cooperation, tourism and intelligence-sharing between the two countries have steadily expanded despite periodic unrest across the region.

​However, Netanyahu's reported secret trip suggests that discussions may have moved beyond routine diplomatic engagement.

Sources familiar with regional affairs suggest the talks may have focused on security coordination, regional stability, economic partnerships and the evolving geopolitical landscape in West Asia.

​Political commentators in Israel described the development as one of the most sensitive diplomatic moves undertaken by Netanyahu in recent months.

The visit comes at a time when the Middle East is witnessing rapidly shifting alliances, growing security concerns and renewed diplomatic engagement among regional powers.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The Abraham Accords have really changed the game. Two years ago this would have been unthinkable. But I'm worried about what this means for Palestine — normalization without addressing the core issues is just business as usual. Hope India maintains our balanced approach.
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Rohit P
Secret visits during wartime? Sounds like something straight out of a spy thriller! 🕵️‍♂️ Mossad chief, Shin Bet head, now military chief — UAE has become Israel's backdoor to the region. Meanwhile, our PM is busy shaking hands with everyone from Tel Aviv to Tehran. Smart diplomacy or double game?
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Kavya N
The UAE denying Netanyahu's visit while hosting his top military brass is peak Middle East politics. 😄 But honestly, as an Indian, I find it reassuring that our friends in the Gulf are diversifying their partnerships — less dependence on any single power works better for regional stability.
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Siddharth J
Respectfully, this normalization is problematic. India has historically supported the Palestinian cause, and watching Gulf states cozy up to Israel without any progress on the ground is disappointing. Our foreign policy should stay principled, not just transactional. Just my two paise. 🤷‍♂️
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Meera T
Imagine the diplomatic dance — Israeli generals sipping tea in Abu Dhabi while their jets are bombing Gaza. The UAE is playing a dangerous game. But from a security perspective, India too has intelligence-sharing with Israel AND close ties with Gulf nations. Might be a lesson in balancing act for us.

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