Senior U.S. officials are reportedly encouraging the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to seize Lavan Island, a critical Iranian offshore oil and natural gas hub in the Persian Gulf.
According to a report by The Telegraph, figures within U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration are pushing for greater Emirati military involvement to deploy “boots on the ground” and shift the operational burden away from American forces as the war with Iran enters its third month.
This strategic proposal comes as the Pentagon faces mounting financial and logistical strain, with the conflict already costing the United States an estimated $29 billion.
Weeks of intensive airstrikes and heavy reliance on sophisticated air-defense systems—including THAAD, Patriot, and Tomahawk cruise missiles—have significantly depleted American munitions stockpiles.
In response, the Pentagon is actively trying to accelerate the replenishment of its inventories by turning to newer defense firms for lower-cost, mass-produced weaponry.
The push for a more aggressive UAE role also highlights a growing divide among traditional U.S. allies, many of whom are reluctant to deepen their involvement in the escalating conflict.
While Washington continues to pressure international partners for naval support in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, key European NATO members—including Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom—have publicly distanced themselves from the war.
In contrast, the UAE has aligned itself closely with Washington and Israel, leading Tehran to label Abu Dhabi a “hostile base.”
This alignment has already made the Emirates a target for Iranian retaliation, following reported covert Emirati strikes on Iranian assets, including previous aerial assaults on Lavan Island.
Seizing the island, which hosts vital refinery, storage, and tanker-loading infrastructure, would represent a massive escalation in the regional power struggle.
