Why the United Arab Emirates is a target for Iran’s aggression

At least 11 countries have come under attack from Iran in retaliation for ongoing US and Israeli attacks, but no country other than Israel has been hit as hard as the Emirates.

The UAE announced that it has intercepted more than 90 percent of missile and drone threats from Iran. As of March 12, the 13th day of the war, official records from the UAE Ministry of Defense show that air defenses had intercepted 268 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,514 drones, with six deaths and 131 injuries reported.

The amount of firepower sent to the Emirates is much higher and almost the same amount as that of its Gulf neighbors. IsraelThe country has faced more than 1000 missiles and drones from Iran in the last two weeks. Attacks on neighboring Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain still number in the hundreds.

Despite the interventions, Iran’s attacks have significantly affected life in the Emirates. Residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi frequently hear loud explosions above their heads due to daily interventions, and missile alarms ring on phones at all hours.

Airports in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, residential buildings, hotels in the Emirates, Dubai’s International Financial Centre, Jebel Ali Port and the US consulate in Dubai were targeted, although the Iranian government told CNBC that its attacks on its Gulf neighbors were limited to US bases in the region.

For Iran, the UAE is an important location where attacks could simultaneously pressure Washington, disrupt global energy flows, disrupt international finance and corporations, and attract worldwide attention.

Iran could cause maximum regional and global suffering, testing a state that has positioned itself as the Gulf’s safest bridge between East and West and the future of the region in terms of finance, logistics, aviation and technology.

UAE It was one of the first places visited by US President Donald Trump during his second term trip to the Gulf states last May.

USA already existed set By making the country a major defense partner in 2024, we are deepening coordination not only on defense but also on artificial intelligence technology and investment. The partnership leaves little doubt about where the UAE stands when it comes to regional security.

Al Dhafra Air Base on 7 March targeted With Iran’s drone and missile attacks.

The base, located about 32 km (20 miles) south of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, hosts French forces as well as America’s 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. It serves as a major regional center for air operations and intelligence gathering and is home to approximately 3,500 U.S. troops.

“There is no good answer as to why the UAE is being targeted more than any other country in the region,” Emirati academic and political scientist Abdulkhaleq Abdulla told CNBC on Sunday. he said.

The real story, he said, “is how well the UAE has managed to defend itself against this daily barrage of missiles and drones, which is now in its third week. It seems the country has been preparing itself for this type of attack all along.”

The Iranian regime claimed that they were only targeting US bases in the region before starting to strike civilian infrastructure and US financial institutions in the region.

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian demanded the closure of US bases in the Gulf. Iran’s new religious leader Mojtaba Khamenei also said that these bases should be closed, otherwise “they will be attacked”.

The UAE has long prided itself on being a country of tolerance.

While most locals are deeply religious, they welcome foreigners with open arms. Approximately 90% of the country’s approximately 11 million residents are foreigners.

The UAE’s reputation for being open, affluent and socially flexible by regional standards is more progressive than many of its neighbours, including Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where alcohol is banned and women’s clothing remains a major concern.

“This is the global business hub, it’s a reflection of what life should be, what success should be, what prosperity should be, what positivity should be, it’s here,” Emaar Properties founder Mohamed Alabbar told CNBC’s Dan Murphy in Dubai, when asked why the UAE is such a target for Iranian attacks. he said.

Despite government efforts to ensure “business as usual”, several major international banks withdrew staff from their Dubai offices this week after Iran said it would target economic centers in the Middle East and US-linked financial institutions.

Last week, two consecutive attacks from Iran targeted Dubai’s International Financial Centre. Dubai media office confirmed the incidents but said there were no injuries.

banks American firms in the financial hub also allowed staff to work from home at the start of the war, but many had ordered this after last week’s attacks. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are home to regional headquarters of tech giants, and many have been specifically named as targets by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. alphabet Google, Seer And IBM’s.

The UAE also hopes to position itself as a major hub for artificial intelligence as the region seeks to diversify its economy away from oil. Questions Following Iran’s targeting of Iran, the region’s attractiveness as a location for Big Tech investments came to the fore. Amazon It disrupts data center cloud services in the country.