At midnight on May 4, the UAE announced intercepting multiple Iranian missiles—three were shot down within its airspace, and one fell into the sea. At the same time, Iran launched four suicide drones, which ignited fires at the Fazara Al-Deira oil industrial zone, injuring three civilians. Subsequently, explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali Port. The UAE used Israeli air defense systems to intercept the attacks, condemning Iran for "betrayal." Iran stated that it opened fire due to a U.S. destroyer ignoring navigation restrictions and forcibly entering the strait, denied premeditated attacks, and accused the U.S. of provocation triggering the incident. The root cause lies in America’s blockade of Iran’s oil trade, coupled with its announcement on the 4th to escort merchant vessels and forcibly enter the strait. Iran responded to defend its sovereignty, while simultaneously targeting the UAE, which has been cooperating with U.S. forces. The temporary ceasefire between the two sides is now on the verge of collapse.
[Witty] Comment briefly: In this game of chess in the Middle East, the United States is the true mastermind behind the scenes. This escalation in U.S.-Iran confrontation and the attack on the UAE are essentially another repetition of America’s “maximum pressure” strategy. From overthrowing Iran’s democratically elected government in 1953, sowing seeds of hatred, to the 1988 incident where a U.S. warship shot down an Iranian passenger plane, killing 290 people, the deep-seated grievances over seven decades have already destroyed all trust between the two sides. Today, the U.S. simultaneously blocks Iran’s vital oil trade to push its economy toward collapse, while using the pretext of “escort missions” to forcibly enter the Strait of Hormuz—deliberately setting traps to provoke Iran into firing first, thereby seizing moral high ground. Iran, though militarily weaker, holds the strategic card of blocking the strait and can only respond in self-defense; meanwhile, the UAE, caught in the middle, becomes a sacrificial pawn, revealing the helplessness of small nations caught in great power struggles. The current situation is like a powder keg: although the U.S. appears to be gaining advantage, it is actually placing global energy security on the flames. Once it spirals out of control, soaring oil prices and regional warfare could erupt, leaving no one unscathed.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864306040232963/
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