UAE weighs role in force to reopen Strait of Hormuz - WSJ

The United Arab Emirates is preparing to support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force and is reviewing how it could take part militarily, according to Arab officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The report said the UAE is pressing for a UN Security Council resolution authorizing action to reopen the waterway and has urged the United States and military powers in Europe and Asia to form a coalition to do so. Bahrain is sponsoring the draft resolution, with a vote expected on Thursday.

According to the report, the UAE is considering roles including mine-clearing and other support services, and has also argued that the United States should seize strategic islands in the strait, including Abu Musa.

The UAE Foreign Ministry, in a statement cited by the newspaper, pointed to international resolutions condemning attacks on its cities and the closure of the strait, and said there was “broad global consensus that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be preserved.”

The report said the UAE’s position marks a major change in policy after weeks of Iranian missile and drone attacks that have hit the country’s infrastructure, disrupted air traffic and tourism, and shaken confidence in its image as a regional safe haven.

Even if a UN resolution fails, the report said, Persian Gulf officials believe the UAE would still be ready to join the war effort. But analysts cited by the newspaper warned such a step could draw the Emirates deeper into conflict with Iran and expose it to further attacks.