TEHRAN - Iranian official and semi-official media outlets have issued stark warnings to the United Arab Emirates, threatening "severe consequences" if Abu Dhabi's involvement in a recent attack on Iran's Qeshm Island is confirmed, with some outlets referring to the UAE as acting as a "proxy and tool in the hands of the Zionist regime" .
🚨🇮🇷 BREAKING
- Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) May 7, 2026
Iran says that if UAE’s involvement in latest attack on Iran is confirmed, it will face severe consequences. Iranian media referred to the UAE as an Israeli puppet state.
— Iranian Media reports. pic.twitter.com/zPAp99Z1pO
The escalating rhetoric follows a strike on the Bahman Pier at Qeshm Island late Thursday night, which Iranian state media reported as an attack by "enemy units" operating near the Strait of Hormuz .
The Qeshm Island Attack
According to Fars News Agency, portions of the commercial area at the vital Bahman Pier on Qeshm Island were struck and partially damaged amid an exchange of fire between Iranian armed forces and hostile units . The attack targeted a key commercial and passenger facility that has already been hit multiple times during the ongoing war.
Iran's state-run IRIB TV quoted a military source as saying that following an attack by the U.S. military on an Iranian oil tanker, "the enemy's invading units in the Strait of Hormuz came under Iran's missile attack, and were forced to flee after sustaining damage" .
Mehr news agency reported that Iran's air defense shot down two "hostile aircraft" over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island .
Divergent Claims on Perpetrator
The attack has generated conflicting reports regarding responsibility. Fox News reported that the U.S. military carried out strikes on Iran's Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas, but stressed that these attacks do not mean the start of war .
The Israeli regime's i24NEWS network quoted an Israeli source claiming "Israel has no connection whatsoever to tonight's events in Iran" .
However, other reports - including sources within the Israeli regime itself - have pointed directly to UAE fighter jets carrying out the bombing .
Threat of Retaliation
Iran's Tasnim News Agency highlighted "clear indications of hostile involvement by the UAE," describing the UAE government as acting as a "mere proxy and tool in the hands of the Zionist regime" .
"If the UAE's involvement is confirmed, it will pay the price for its hostile action," the agency warned . Tasnim further reported that if Emirati involvement is confirmed, "the UAE will pay a heavy price for its hostile move" .
Iranian officials have long warned that certain Persian Gulf Arab states, "fooled by the Zionist entity's false promises and US backing, are being dragged into reckless adventures that threaten the security and stability of the entire region" .
'Israeli Puppet State' Label
Iranian media has intensified its characterization of the UAE as an extension of Israeli interests in the region. The labeling of Abu Dhabi as an Israeli proxy reflects Tehran's longstanding opposition to the Abraham Accords, through which the UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020 .
Iranian Denials of Earlier Attacks
Iran has officially denied launching attacks on the UAE on May 5, with a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stating that no such operations had been conducted .
However, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously denounced "renewed unprovoked Iranian aggression" involving the deployment of drones and missiles against Emirati territory .
Ceasefire Under Strain
These developments come as a fragile ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan on April 8, remains under severe strain. Talks held in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement, and the truce was later extended by President Trump without a set deadline .
President Trump reportedly described the exchange of fire between Iran and the U.S. Navy as "just a love tap," insisting the ceasefire is holding while reiterating threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal that allows for resumption of oil and gas shipments .
What Comes Next
The coming days will be critical in determining whether the Qeshm Island attack leads to further escalation. Iranian media has framed the incident as a potential casus belli, with investigations into Emirati involvement still underway.
No casualties have been reported from the strike on the civilian-oriented commercial pier . Detailed investigations into the precise dimensions of the incident and verification of all circulating claims is still underway .
If confirmed, the UAE could find itself facing an even more direct and sustained Iranian military response, further destabilizing a region already teetering on the edge of wider conflict.
