Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a ceremony commemorating Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen troopers, or Yom HaZikaron, on the Navy Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Tuesday April 21, 2026.
Ilia Yefimovich/AP/Pool AFP
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Ilia Yefimovich/AP/Pool AFP
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quietly visited the United Arab Emirates through the Israeli-U.S. struggle with Iran, his workplace mentioned Wednesday. The UAE later denied any secret go to had occurred.
Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a gathering that “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” in line with the Israeli assertion. The Gulf nation normalized relations with Israel in 2020.
The UAE’s official WAM information company later posted an article denying “reports circulating” a couple of Netanyahu go to. In keeping with WAM, the nation’s relations with Israel “are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements.”
The Emirati report additionally denied any Israeli army delegation was acquired within the UAE.
Israel’s announcement got here a day after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had despatched Iron Dome air-defense weapons and personnel to function them to the UAE.
The UAE has confronted Iranian missile and drone hearth even after the ceasefire was reached final month. It has been making an attempt to sign to nervous buyers that it stays open for enterprise and secure.
Final week, WAM reported that Netanyahu was among the many leaders who known as the Emirati president to sentence Iranian assaults and categorical their solidarity with the Gulf federation.
It was uncommon public acknowledgment of direct talks between the nations that normalized relations within the 2020 Abraham Accords and have strengthened their ties through the Iran struggle.
Iran has criticized that settlement and has repeatedly steered over time that Israel maintained a army and intelligence presence within the Emirates.
Israeli leaders have made occasional visits to the UAE lately after normalizing relations.
Iran calls for Kuwait launch detainees
Iran’s overseas minister accused Kuwait of making an attempt to “sow discord” by detaining 4 Iranians that the Gulf Arab nation accuses of being Revolutionary Guard operatives.
In a publish Wednesday on X, Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi demanded the Iranians’ quick launch and mentioned Iran reserved the precise to reply.
“This illegal act took place near an island used by the U.S. to attack Iran,” Araghchi wrote.
A day earlier, Kuwait mentioned 4 males have been detained and two escaped whereas making an attempt to infiltrate Bubiyan Island within the northwest nook of the Persian Gulf on Could 1.
Bubiyan Island is residence to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is beneath development as a part of a Chinese language plan to construct infrastructure the world over. It additionally got here beneath Iranian assault through the struggle.
Iranian human rights lawyer launched
Distinguished Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been launched from jail greater than a month after being detained, a rights group and her daughter mentioned Wednesday.
Sotoudeh, who is thought for defending activists, opposition politicians and ladies prosecuted for eradicating their headscarves, was detained by Iranian intelligence brokers at her home in Tehran in April.
Her launch comes as U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in China for a long-anticipated go to that’s anticipated to the touch on the struggle in Iran.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Information Company, which carefully tracks developments in Iran, mentioned that Sotoudeh was launched on bail from Tehran’s Evin Jail.
Her daughter, Mehraveh Khandan, posted on social media that Sotoudeh was launched on momentary custody. Iran’s semiofficial ISNA information company additionally reported Sotoudeh launch.
Sotoudeh has been imprisoned a number of occasions. Her activist husband, Reza Khandan, has been imprisoned in the identical jail as his spouse.
Nobel Peace laureate wants long-term care
Medical doctors who examined Nobel Peace laureate and activist Narges Mohammadi greater than per week after she collapsed at a jail in Iran mentioned she wants months of therapy, in line with her basis.
Mohammadi, 53, was urgently transferred from jail to a hospital in northwestern Iran on Could 1 after she fell unconscious. She was launched on bail practically 10 days later and transferred to a hospital in Tehran the place her specialists examined her.
The docs mentioned her vascular illness has worsened since she was final checked in 2024 and beneficial eight months of therapy.
She was awarded the Nobel in 2023 whereas in jail and has been jailed repeatedly all through her profession. Her newest imprisonment started in December when she was arrested within the northeastern Iranian metropolis of Mashhad.
