Middle East Crisis Iran War

United Arab Emirates reportedly considering Iran attack

The United Arab Emirates is considering counterattacks against missile and drone facilities in Iran, several sources told Axios.

It would be the first Emirati attack on Iran ever, and the fact that it is even being considered shows the enormous anger of the Gulf states against Iran's attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure, the site writes.

The country has been the target of more Iranian attacks than any other during the war, including Israel. Despite not being involved in the war, it has been attacked with more than 800 projectiles, a source with insight into the discussions says.

– The prevailing view in the United Arab Emirates is that no country in the world would fail to rethink its defense policy in such a situation.

US Consulate in Dubai attacked by drone

A drone hit a parking lot at the US Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, according to Reuters. No staff were injured, he added.

Images on social media showed open flames and a column of black smoke at the consulate. According to the local authorities' press service, the fire is under control.
 

Rubio Backs Down After Trump's Version of the Start of the War

The Trump administration is giving conflicting statements about why they made the decision to attack Iran.

Yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US attacked preemptively when they learned that Israel was about to attack. This was to avoid Iranian retaliation against American forces in the region.

Trump contradicted that version on Tuesday. According to the president, the US had information that Iran would attack, whereupon they struck first.

- If anything, it was Israel that turned its back on me, says the president.

However, the Pentagon has stated to Congress that there was no indication that Iran would attack first, according to Reuters sources.

After Trump gave his version, Rubio backed down, according to the New York Times.

- Basically, it's about this: The president decided that we would not be attacked first. It's that simple, he says.