May 16 (Reuters) – ⁠The ⁠United Arab ⁠Emirates said on ​Saturday that all actions ‌taken by the ‌Gulf ⁠country ⁠came within its framework of defensive ​measures aimed at protecting its sovereignty, ​civilians, and vital infrastructure, ⁠according to ⁠a statement ⁠by ​its foreign ministry.

The statement came ​after ⁠the Wall Street Journal published a story ⁠on Monday saying that the UAE carried ⁠out military operations on Iran in early April.

The statement by the UAE foreign ministry did not refer ⁠explicitly to the reported strikes on Iran.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa ​El-Din; Editing by ​Mark Porter)

Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.