The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a declaration yesterday that the country would not allow it’s territory to be used for strikes on Iran. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates’ commitment to not allowing its airspace, territory, or waters to be used in any hostile military actions against Iran, and to not providing any logistical support in this regard,” it said in a statement. “The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s belief that dialogue, de-escalation, adherence to international law, and respect for state sovereignty constitute the most effective foundations for addressing current crises, underscoring the UAE’s approach of resolving disputes through diplomatic means.”
At the same time, Iran’s allies in the region have been warning they would respond if Iran is attacked. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem warned on Monday that any threat to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is considered a threat to Hezbollah. “It is our duty to confront this threat with all measures and preparations,” he said, reported The National of the UAE, warning that waging war on Iran would set the region ablaze.
Iraqi militia group Kataib Hezbollah said on Sunday it was preparing for “total war.” The group’s secretary general, Abu Hussein Al Hamidawi, warned any conflict with Tehran “will not be easy” and said its adversaries would “face severe consequences.” He urged fighters to be “field-ready” and added: “We address our call to our mujahideen brothers … to prepare for a total war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Yemen’s Houthi rebels also issued a warning, threatening renewed attacks on ships.
An unnamed Gulf official told Middle East Eye that the US is weighing precision strikes on “high-value” Iranian officials and commanders who it deems responsible for the deaths of protesters. The strikes could come as early as this week, but that timeline could shift, MEE was told on Monday. Discussions within the administration have reportedly been described as “chaotic,” with a debate over what the repercussions will be in terms of Iranian retaliation. A former US intelligence official told MEE that their understanding of conversations within the administration is that Trump has not given up on pushing for “regime change” in Tehran.
