Israel Warns of Terror Threats Against Citizens in UAE Amid Rising Regional Tensions

Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) has sounded the alarm for Israelis heading to the United Arab Emirates, saying there’s a growing risk of attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in the Gulf state.

In a statement released Thursday, the NSC pointed to what it called “heightened motivation” among hostile groups — including Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and other armed network, to target Israelis abroad. Officials said the threats are directly tied to Israel’s ongoing military campaigns in Gaza and its strikes on Iranian-linked forces.

“They are driven by heightened motivation to exact revenge following Operation Rising Lion, in addition to the anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian incitement which has intensified since the start of Operation Iron Swords, and even more so in response to Hamas’ starvation campaign,,” the NSC said, adding that anti-Israel rhetoric and anger over the humanitarian disaster in Gaza are fuelling the risk.

The advisory comes as Israel faces intense international backlash for its war in Gaza, where over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more are starving due to Israel’s tight blockade on aid.

The UAE has become a popular destination for Israeli travellers and expats since the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between the two countries for the first time in decades. Direct flights, booming trade and a growing Jewish community have transformed Dubai and Abu Dhabi into frequent Israeli stopovers.

But the NSC says history shows that hostile groups look for softer targets abroad, especially during times of conflict.

“The possibility of attacks on Israeli and Jewish sites in the UAE, particularly during Jewish holidays and Shabbat, remains significant,” the statement warned.

Despite being considered one of the region’s safest countries, the UAE has seen rare but serious incidents. In March, three men were sentenced to death for murdering Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan Chabad representative, in Abu Dhabi last year. The court ruled the killing was carried out with a “terrorist purpose”.

For now, Israel is keeping its level 3 advisory in place for the UAE. Non-essential travel is discouraged, and citizens already in the country are urged to stay alert, avoid predictable routines and follow local security advice.

With input from Al Jazeera