Revealed: This Arab Country Becomes the First to Directly Attack Iran, Lavan Oil Refinery Bombed

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reported to have secretly carried out a series of attacks on Iran amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on Monday (11/5/2026). One of the targets was an oil refinery on Lavan Island, Iran, according to anonymous sources familiar with the matter.

The Iranian refinery was hit in early April, just as US President Donald Trump was about to announce a ceasefire with Iran. The attack caused a large fire and brought the facility to a halt, the report added.

Iran then retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the UAE and Kuwait. One source said that the US quietly welcomed the Emirates’ involvement in the war.

In early April, Iranian state media reported that the UAE had joined the war against Iran. Iran’s state television station, IRIB, stated in a post on the American social media company X that there were two documents proving the UAE’s involvement in the war against Iran.

The evidence of involvement consisted of the destruction of a Chinese-made Wing Loong-2 drone on Wednesday (1/4/2026), which was claimed to be owned only by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as the presence of UAE-owned Mirage 2000 fighter jets for interception over Jask Island, Iran, on Sunday (22/3/2026).

However, these claims could not be independently confirmed by Anadolu. Additionally, there has been no direct response from the UAE regarding the report.