ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The UAE has not ruled out joining the United States in its war against Iran, a senior Emirati military official told MS NOW in an exclusive interview.
Maj. Gen. Abdul Nasser Al Humaidi said, for now, the country remains firmly focused on defense. But when asked if his country’s military involvement in the war is off the table, Al Humaidi replied, “To be part of that conflict — not necessarily.”
He stressed, however, that the UAE is focused on defending its territory following weeks of a sustained Iranian attack.
“The UAE preserves its right to self-defense upon any aggression that aims at the UAE, and that’s the primary role of the military and armed forces,” he told MS NOW on Thursday.
His comments come as the UAE faces one of the most intense sustained aerial campaigns in the region. Officials said more than 2,500 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles have been launched toward the country since the conflict began — more than any other Gulf state and rivaling the scale of attacks seen on Israel. The UAE military said it has intercepted the vast majority of them, with success rates exceeding 95% for drones and reaching as high as 99% for some missile threats.
“Militarily speaking, this is a high success rate that we take with pride,” Al Humaidi said of the joint defense effort with international partners, including the U.S.
Even so, the impact has been significant. At least 12 people have been killed, with many more injured, according to the UAE Ministry of Defense, as falling debris and occasional strikes have hit populated areas. Critical infrastructure, including airports, energy facilities and parts of the hospitality sector, has also sustained damage.
Al Humaidi described Iran’s targeting of civilian sites as “unlawful attacks,” saying the strikes have deliberately focused on “critical infrastructure, civilians, cities and so forth.”
Still, the scale of destruction has been far lower than the volume of incoming fire might suggest. Al Humaidi credited a sophisticated, layered air defense network designed to detect and intercept threats at multiple stages, helping protect cities and key infrastructure from direct hits.
“Thanks to the leadership, they prepped us for these days over decades,” he said, pointing to long-term investment in advanced systems and a deep understanding of evolving regional threats.
That preparation has allowed the UAE not only to repel initial “swarm” attacks early in the conflict, but to sustain weeks of near-daily strikes. “The aggressor,” Al Humaidi said, referring to Iran, “tried to saturate the air defenses with swarm-type tactics and that failed. We were able to counter their initial concentrated attacks and we were also able to sustain the prolonged aggression.”
But as President Donald Trump weighs America’s own military posture in the region, one of the most sensitive issues has been Iran’s claim that U.S. strikes have been launched from bases inside the UAE — a claim Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made in an interview with MS NOW to justify targeting Emirati territory.
Al Humaidi flatly rejected that.
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“The UAE government was really clear from the beginning, UAE territory will not be used for any attacks against Iran,” he told MS NOW, adding that such claims are “not correct, and not happening.”
At the same time, he made clear that longstanding military partnerships, including hosting U.S. forces, will continue even after the conflict ends, underscoring the UAE’s commitment to its strategic alliances. That dual stance highlights the tightrope the UAE is walking between maintaining close security ties with Washington while seeking to avoid being drawn into a broader regional war.
For now, officials have insisted the country is not part of the conflict despite being one of its primary targets.
“We’re not part of this conflict. We got aggressed so we will continue that posture in defending our territory,” Al Humaidi said.
Yet behind that defensive posture, there are growing questions about what a lasting end to the conflict would require. The UAE’s ambassador to the United States called for a “conclusive ending” to the war, suggesting that anything less could leave Iran with the capability to continue targeting Gulf states and highlighting the strategic dilemma over whether broader military involvement from regional allies is necessary to end the war.
Al Humaidi stopped short of endorsing any such approach.
“The UAE remains in its defensive posture, but also its role is to support any political solution and any de-escalation,” he said.
His refusal to rule out future involvement leaves open the possibility that his country’s role could shift if the conflict escalates in the coming weeks, particularly if U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran intensify.
For Washington, that raises a critical question: Will its regional allies, including the UAE, continue to hold a defensive line, or will they be pulled into a broader confrontation? For now, the message from Abu Dhabi is: It’s not seeking war. But after weeks of sustained attacks, it is preparing for that very possibility.
