Ceasefire Day 39: U.S. Urges UAE to Seize Iranian Island

A ceasefire to the Iran War entered its 39th day Saturday with a report in the Telegraph, citing anonymous sources, that Trump administration officials have urged the United Arab Emirates to seize Iran’s Lavan Island.

The report comes after Israeli reports of a secret meeting between Israel and UAE leadership. Israel’s i24 News said Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “confirmed secret visit to the UAE” included the Mossad chief, the director of the Shin Bet, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. The UAE denies that the visit occurred, despite reports.

In an interview Thursday with Fox News, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is fighting the war in Iran “to help Israel” and Gulf Monarchies. “We’re doing it to help Israel, and to help Saudi Arabia, and to help Qatar and UAE, and you know, Kuwait, and other countries,” Trump said.

Iran’s current stated conditions to end the conflict, as reported by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, include an immediate end to hostilities, non-aggression guarantees, the lifting of U.S. sanctions, Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz, an end to the ongoing U.S. naval blockade, and an end to the war “on all fronts” including in Lebanon, where Israel has waged a deadly military campaign. Iranian officials have expressed their belief that the economic toll caused by the conflict will cause the U.S. to meet their conditions to open the Strait of Hormuz and end the War.

The IDF issued new forced displacement orders for nine towns in southern Lebanon on Saturday, one day after Israeli airstrikes killed at least six people, including three paramedics.