JERUSALEM,—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran and met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Wednesday in what was described as their first publicly confirmed meeting.

The statement said the talks produced a “historic breakthrough” in relations between Israel and the UAE.

A source familiar with the discussions said Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed, also known as MBZ, met in the oasis city of Al Ain near the Oman border on March 26.

The source said the meeting lasted several hours.

The source also said Mossad Director Dedi Barnea traveled to the UAE at least twice during the conflict with Iran to coordinate military operations. The Wall Street Journal first reported the intelligence chief’s visits.

The UAE strengthened its ties with the United States and Israel after coming under attack during the Iran war.

The Gulf state established relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords and sees the partnership as a way to increase regional influence and maintain a direct channel to Washington.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday that Israel sent Iron Dome air defense batteries and personnel to operate them in the UAE during the conflict.

The UAE is considered one of Washington’s key allies in the region and serves as a major financial and business center.

It has followed an assertive foreign policy and expanded its influence across the Middle East and Africa.

Iranian strikes launched in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks hit the UAE more heavily than several neighboring Gulf countries, targeting civilian and energy infrastructure.

The reports said the strikes hit airports, seaports, hotels, residential areas, and oil facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Unlike some Gulf states, the UAE has a pipeline that allows part of its oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Still, the conflict threatens the country’s role as a global economic hub known for stability and business access.

In early May, the UAE’s state news agency said President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the UAE was hit by new Iranian missile and drone attacks.

(With files from Reuters, Agencies)

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