Senior security officials from the United Arab Emirates visited Israel at the start of Operation "Roaring Lion" in March and met Israeli security leaders, according to a report aired Tuesday night by Kan News. It is the first reported physical visit by Emirati senior officials to Israel during the war.
The meetings focused on security coordination between the two countries. The identities of the Emirati visitors were not disclosed, but the aircraft that brought them was a Boeing 737 VIP, a jet used by very senior members of the Emirati royal family.
The report comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said last month that he had made a secret visit to the UAE during the operation and met President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. At the time, the office said the trip had produced a "historic breakthrough" in relations between Israel and the UAE.
The UAE Foreign Ministry denied that claim and also said it had not hosted an Israeli military delegation. On the same day, it was also reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini made a first-of-its-kind visit to the UAE, against the backdrop of the ceasefire and tensions with Iran.