The UAE confirmed that four merchant ships had been subjected to sabotage operations off the emirate of Fujairah without clarifying the circumstances of the incident or accusing a particular party. Analysts analyzed several scenarios of what happened.
UAE media have pointed to the speed of Iranian media sites by conveying the news that the four ships were hit by the explosions at dawn, but declined to accuse Tehran of involvement in what happened in the economic zone of the UAE.
The statement issued by the UAE foreign ministry, which confirmed that four merchant ships were subjected to sabotage operations near Iranian territorial waters, did not in turn include accusations against any party, although it urged the international community to carry out its responsibilities to prevent any parties attempting to undermine the security and safety of maritime traffic.
The military and strategic expert Fayez al-Duwairi said there was no indication that the ships were attacked by the military. He said in connection with the island that the occurrence of explosions inside ships, it is likely that the introduction of explosives to the target vessels according to a plan is probably considered.
The writer and political analyst Omar Ayazra pointed out that the UAE pays the cost of its behavior in the region, as it is involved in many files such as the blockade of Iran and the war in Yemen and Libya, as well as their role in aborting revolutions.
He told al-Jazeera that it is not surprising that the UAE will be harmed by its behavior and that some parties will consider harming it in its own country.
As for those behind the bombings, Ayazra explained that many possibilities include that the bombings are fabricated to incite the US more to Iran, and those close to Iran or close to jihadist organizations similar to Al Qaeda and the organization of the state may be behind what happened to the UAE vessels.
The Jordanian analyst considered that the most likely Iranian arms wanted to send a message that the UAE is not far from chaos.
ambiguity
For his part, the Lebanese military and strategic expert Hisham Jaber that there is ambiguity in the incident, as there was no shooting and no casualties in ships, which the UAE said it was subjected to sabotage operations.
Jaber ruled out the possibility of a military attack on the ships, saying that the issue was only important in terms of the timing that had taken place under the tension between America and Iran.
He considered that the seriousness of this work is due to its timing in light of the crisis between Iran and America, and said that it may be intended to implicate Iran, noting the concern of Washington and Tehran to avoid a military confrontation between them.
For his part, the writer and political analyst Faisal Abdul Sattar that the UAE prepared several parties against it when it entered into open war with the Yemeni people and with Iran and many other countries.
He said that the United States may want to invest in this issue through saboteurs in the context of escalation with Iran, or to push the UAE to accuse Iran, and there is a beginning of a strategic transformation and dangerous in the region.
He did not rule out that terrorist groups had entered the line in an attempt to set fire to the area.
However, he ruled out the presence of Iranian parties are not disciplined behind the destruction of UAE vessels, pointing out that the Americans are watching all moves in the region.
Omani academic Abdullah al-Ghilani told Al-Jazeera that the picture was not entirely clear in light of the conflicting reports and the lack of information. He added that this event comes within the framework of the escalation of Washington in the region, expressing regret that some Gulf States dragged behind this escalation.
Al-Ghilani ruled out that the United States is currently provoking military harassment in Iran and considered that what is happening now is a political escalation for political purposes.
He pointed out that US President Donald Trump is looking for electoral or political gains, unlikely that America will offer an air strike on Iran.