DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait accused Iran on Tuesday of sending its armed Revolutionary Guards to attack an island in the Middle Eastern country.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge the accusations from Kuwait, which has been repeatedly attacked by Iran during the war.
Kuwait said a group of six armed guardsmen tried to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwest corner of the Persian Gulf close to Iraq and Iran.
It accused the team of planning “hostile acts”.
Kuwait said it detained four of the men, two of whom escaped. Kuwait said one of its security officials was injured in the attack.
This is a breaking news update. Early AP reporting follows.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel has sent its Iron Dome anti-missile system and operators to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during a war with Iran, the U.S. ambassador to Israel said Tuesday.
Mike Huckabee’s comments underscored the evolving defense relationship between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which have long been skeptical of Iran as a ceasefire in the war with Iran remains shaky. This is the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged the deployment of troops to the UAE. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula and is home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
However, the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains under Tehran’s control and negotiations between the United States and Iran currently appear to be at an impasse, raising the risk of a renewed conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump is traveling to China this week for a summit with Xi Jinping, where Iran is likely to be a topic. Beijing has long been a buyer of sanctioned Iranian crude and has been hurt by the closure of the strait, which triggered a global energy crisis.
Huckabee, a Baptist pastor, former Arkansas governor and one-time presidential candidate, made the comments on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the United Arab Emirates, which was the first member of the Abraham Accords,” Huckabee told the Tel Aviv conference. “Look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”
The United Arab Emirates diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020. That drew criticism from Iran, Israel’s long-time main regional enemy. Iran did not immediately respond to Hakabi’s comments, despite repeated hints over the years that Israel maintains a military and intelligence presence in the UAE.
Israel deployment comes as UAE sends signal of strength
The UAE and Israel did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Huckabee’s admission. However, Huckabee’s comments came after U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz made the same remarks at an event at the Israeli mission to the United Nations on Monday night – indicating that this was an intentional leak, likely with the support of the UAE and Israel.
Even after a ceasefire in the war, the UAE faces Iranian missile and drone fire and has been trying to signal to nervous investors and the public that the country remains open and safe for business. Since the war began, the UAE has also shut down websites in the country linked to the Iranian government. The UAE has long been viewed by the Iranian government and ordinary Iranians as a safe place to conduct business offshore from the Islamic Republic.
During his visit to the UAE on Thursday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan accompanied Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to an air base hosting Egyptian pilots and Rafael fighter jets, the first recognition of a detachment operating in the UAE. When Sisi came to power in 2013 and thereafter, Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE strongly supported him.
Huckabee urges other Gulf states to recognize Israel
Huckabee added that he was “very optimistic” that more countries in the region would soon join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 diplomatic recognition agreement that also includes the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain, establishing formal ties with Israel.
However, many Arab states remain angry about Israel’s wide-ranging military campaign following Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, which saw the Gaza Strip razed to the ground and Iran’s allies attacked across the Middle East. Israel now also controls territory in Lebanon and Syria.
In his speech, Huckabee also sought to bolster U.S. support for the recent war, saying that for Iran’s theocracy, “Israel is the appetizer and the United States has always been the main course.”
“The Gulf states now understand they have to make a choice – are they more likely to be attacked by Iran or Israel?” Huckabee asked. “They see that Israel helped us and Iran attacked us. Israel is not trying to occupy your land and is not firing missiles at you.”
Bahrain sentences two dozen people for alleged links to Iran
Meanwhile, at least two dozen people were jailed on Tuesday on charges including espionage and conspiring with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, Bahraini prosecutors said on Tuesday. They said the three were sentenced to life in prison. Others received shorter sentences for Iran issues.
Bahrain, an island nation ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy with a majority Shiite population, has sentenced dozens of people on Iran-related charges since the war began. Prosecutors and the interior ministry claim Iran has groups that conduct espionage and help identify targets. Human rights groups say the island nation has expanded its crackdown on dissidents and Shiites during the war.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Sam Metz in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed.