A week into the US-Israeli war against Iran, the United Arab Emirates’ president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan toured a hospital, visiting civilians wounded in Iranian missile attacks. He clutched the hands of patients, bending to kiss one on the forehead as he sought to reassure a nation that had been abruptly thrust on to the front lines of conflict. But he also had a warning for the state’s enemies: “Do not be misled by the UAE’s appearance,” Sheikh Mohamed said, raising a finger to make his point. “The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh — we are no easy prey.”
For decades, Sheikh Mohamed, known as MBZ, had been building up the UAE’s military and defences — and the war presented their sternest test. Over five weeks, Iran fired some 2,800 missiles and drones at its smaller neighbour, far more than at any other Gulf state or Israel. Most were intercepted by the UAE’s air defences. But the war has taken the sheen off the state’s much-vaunted “safe haven” status, which underpinned its rise as the Middle East’s dominant trade and tourism hub.
For MBZ, it is a pivotal moment — a conflict he had long prepared for, but also a test of who among his nation’s traditional allies could be relied upon in a crisis. And the UAE has made clear it believes some have been found wanting.