According to The Wall Street Journal, the UAE has made a groundbreaking decision: it is prepared to assist the US and other allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz through military force. This would make it the first Gulf nation to join the conflict. The UAE is also pushing for United Nations Security Council authorization for such an operation.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Arab officials revealed that the UAE is preparing to assist the United States and other allies in using military force to clear the Strait of Hormuz. This move would make it the first Gulf country to join the fight after being attacked by Iran.
Officials stated that the UAE is lobbying for a resolution from the UN Security Council authorizing such actions. A UAE official said that its diplomats have urged the United States, as well as major military powers in Europe and Asia, to form a coalition to forcefully reopen the strait. He added that the Iranian regime views this as a fight for its survival and is willing to drag the global economy down with it by controlling the strait.
The UAE official stated that the country is actively assessing how to play a military role in ensuring the security of the strait, including assisting in mine clearance and other support services.
Some Arab officials revealed that the UAE has also suggested that the United States occupy islands within this strategic waterway, including Abu Musa Island, which has been under Iranian control for half a century and over which the UAE has claimed sovereignty.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to another UN resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on its cities, as well as a resolution passed by the International Maritime Organization condemning the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "An extensive consensus has formed within the international community that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be preserved."
Arab officials said that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are now turning against the Iranian regime and hope the war continues until the regime is weakened or overthrown, although they have not yet committed their own troops. Bahrain, a close ally of the United States and home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, is leading efforts to push through a UN resolution, with a vote expected on Thursday.
An official from a Persian Gulf state said that the UAE’s newly demonstrated tough stance represents a fundamental shift in its strategic thinking. Dubai, the commercial hub of the UAE, has long provided funding for the Iranian regime. Before the outbreak of the war, UAE diplomats mediated between the United States and Iran, an effort that included a visit to Abu Dhabi by Ali Larijani, an Iranian national security official, who later died in an airstrike.
Now, this Gulf nation is aligning itself with Trump's call for allies to take on more responsibility in the war, especially in helping to clear the Strait of Hormuz. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump had informed his aides that he was willing to end the war without reopening the strait, leaving the matter to other countries to handle.
The UAE’s participation in clearing the strait carries risks. Positioning itself as a belligerent against Iran may lay the groundwork for long-term tensions even after the war ends.
Iran's response has been to intensify its bombardment of the UAE. Following weeks of low-intensity attacks, Iran has sharply increased its missile and drone strikes on the UAE in recent days, launching nearly 50 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones on Tuesday alone. Tehran warned that it would destroy critical civilian infrastructure of any Gulf state supporting actions against its territory, explicitly naming the UAE.
"They may step into this war only to face a more aggressive Iran, continuing to endure strikes on key infrastructure and potential loss of investor confidence, then struggle to rebuild relations with neighboring countries—especially if Trump chooses to declare victory before clearing the strait or degrading Iran’s missile and drone capabilities," said Elizabeth Dent, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former Pentagon official responsible for Gulf affairs, referring to the dilemma faced by countries in the region.
The number of missiles and drones Iran has launched at the UAE—nearly 2,500 so far—exceeds the total aimed at any other country, including Israel. Nevertheless, like other Gulf nations, the UAE has long attempted to avoid defining itself as a belligerent party.
Gulf officials say the UAE’s stance has now shifted. Before the outbreak of the war on February 28, the UAE viewed Iran as a troublesome neighbor, but its political position had its logic. However, the onset of the war revealed a markedly different regime attempting to instill fear through attacks on Dubai’s hotels and airports.
Iran’s attacks have caused a decline in air traffic and tourism in the UAE, damaged its real estate market, and triggered a wave of unpaid leave and layoffs. These attacks also challenge the UAE’s core selling point: being a peaceful oasis in this turbulent region.
The UAE has responded in part with stringent financial measures. A notice from Emirates Airlines shows that Iranian nationals are no longer permitted to enter or transit through the country, a move introduced after the government shut down Iranian hospitals and the Dubai Iranian Club.
The UAE’s new posture is most evident in its efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital channel for its energy exports, shipping operations, and food supply. Gulf officials say the UAE believes that currently hesitant Asian and European countries will assist in clearing the strait under a UN Security Council mandate.
Russia may veto the resolution, while France is proposing an alternative version. Gulf officials say that even if the resolution fails, the UAE is prepared to join military operations.
Iran insists on permanent oversight, including the establishment of a toll system. Arab officials state that Gulf states fear any diplomatic solution would implicitly grant Iran formal authority over the management of the waterway and aim to expel it militarily first.
It remains unclear whether military action can secure the strait. Military analysts say any operation would require not just control of the waterway but also control of its 100-mile coastline, potentially necessitating ground troop deployment.
"I don't think we can do it," said Adam Smith, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and Democratic Representative from Washington State. "All Iran needs to do is maintain the ability to keep the Strait under constant threat, which means they only need one drone, one mine, or one small suicide speedboat."
Arab officials stated that Gulf countries supporting military action believe the consequences of allowing a hostile neighbor to control such a vital passage are worth the risk.
Bilal Saab, a researcher at Chatham House and former Pentagon advisor on Middle East affairs, stated that the decision to join the military action would send a public signal that Arab countries support this war. It would also provide more options for actions against Iran and attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE's possession of military bases, the deep-water port of Jebel Ali, and its location near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz make it a useful staging ground for U.S.-led amphibious operations or escort missions for commercial oil tankers through the waterway.
The UAE also has a small but capable air force equipped with U.S.-supplied F-16 fighter jets, which have previously conducted airstrikes in Iraq alongside U.S. forces during operations against the Islamic State.
The UAE also possesses reconnaissance drones and a stockpile of U.S.-supplied bombs and short-range missiles, which could help alleviate ammunition shortages faced by the U.S. and Israel.
"The geographical position along the Strait means you can deploy different platforms jointly to protect shipping and strike Iranian targets on the other side of the Gulf," said Grant Rumley, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
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