Kuwait accuses Iran of sending an armed Revolutionary Guard team to attack an island in nation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait accused Iran on Tuesday of sending an armed Revolutionary Guard team to attack an island in the Middle Eastern country.
Iran did not immediately accept Kuwait’s claim, which was repeatedly attacked by Iran in the war.
Kuwait said a team of six armed Guard members attempted to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwestern corner of the Persian Gulf, near Iraq and Iran.
He accused the team of planning to commit “hostile acts.”
Kuwait said four of the men were detained, while two escaped. Kuwait announced that one of its security guards was injured in the attack.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Below is AP’s earlier story.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and the personnel to send them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during war Iran warthe US ambassador to Israel said on Tuesday.
Comments made by Mike Huckabee We highlight the growing defense relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries that have long been suspicious of Iran. a shaky truce It still remains valid in the Iran war. This is publicly acknowledged as the first time the Israeli military has been deployed to the Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula that is home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
But the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran’s hands, and negotiations between the US and Iran appear to be at a standstill for now; This increases the risk of conflict breaking out again. US President Donald Trump is going to China this week for his summit with Xi Jinping, and Iran is expected to be on the agenda here. Beijing has long been a buyer of sanctioned Iranian crude and has suffered from the closure of the strait, which has sparked a global energy crisis.
HuckabeeA Baptist minister, former governor of Arkansas and one-time presidential candidate made the comments on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Huckabee said at the Tel Aviv Conference: “I would like to express my gratitude to the United Arab Emirates, which was the first member of the Abraham Accords.” “Just look at the benefits. Israel sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”
United Arab Emirates diplomatically recognized Israel This led to criticism from Iran, which has long been Israel’s main regional enemy. Iran did not immediately respond to Huckabee’s remarks, although it has repeatedly claimed over the years that Israel maintains a military and intelligence presence in the Emirates.
Israeli deployment comes as UAE signals strength
The UAE and Israel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Huckabee’s admission. But Huckabee’s remarks came after U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz was quoted as saying the same thing during an event at the Israeli mission there on Monday night; This meant that this was a deliberate release of information, possibly with the approval of the Emiratis and Israelis.
It comes as the UAE faces missile and drone attacks from Iran even after a ceasefire in the war is reached, and tries to signal to nervous investors and the public that it remains open and safe for business. The UAE has also shut down sites linked to the Iranian government in the country since the start of the war. The Emirates have long been used by both the Iranian government and average Iranians as a place to do business safely on the Islamic Republic’s high seas.
On Thursday, during Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi’s visit to the Emirates, his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan accompanied him to an air base where Egyptian pilots and Rafael fighter jets are deployed; this was the first admission of a detachment operating in the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE strongly supported el-Sissi when he came to power in 2013 and beyond.
Huckabee calls on other Gulf countries to recognize Israel
Huckabee added that he was “very optimistic” that other countries in the region for official relations with Israel would soon join the Abraham Accords, a 2020 diplomatic recognition agreement that includes the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain.
However, many Arab countries remain angry at Israel’s far-reaching military campaigns following a Hamas offensive in 2023 that devastated the Gaza Strip and saw 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 by arguing that the Iranian theocracy was “Israel’s appetizer, America’s always main course.”
“Gulf states now realize they will have to make a choice: Are they more likely to be attacked by Iran or Israel?” Huckabee asked. “They see that Israel is helping us and Iran is attacking us. Israel is not trying to take over your lands and is not sending missiles to you.”
Bahrain fines two dozen for alleged links to Iran
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Bahrain said Tuesday that at least two dozen people were sentenced to prison on charges including espionage and conspiring with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. They said the three were sentenced to life imprisonment. Others received shorter sentences related to Iran.
Bahrain, an island nation with a Shiite-majority population and ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy, has convicted dozens of people on Iran-related charges since the start of the war. Prosecutors and the Interior Ministry have alleged that Iran has cells that conduct espionage and help identify targets there. Rights groups say the island nation has expanded its crackdown on dissidents as well as Shiites during the war.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Sam Metz in the West Bank city of Ramallah contributed.
