The War You’re Not Allowed to See: How the UAE Rewrites the Story of Iranian Strikes

Key Points:

• Bellingcat’s investigation reveals that UAE authorities have frequently downplayed or mischaracterized the impact of Iranian drone strikes, often attributing significant damage to debris from interceptions rather than direct hits, despite open-source evidence to the contrary.
• In response to the strikes, the UAE government has imposed strict censorship measures, including warnings against sharing unverified content and the arrest of over 135 individuals for disseminating videos or photos of the attacks, citing national security and cybercrime laws.
• Several high-profile incidents, including drone strikes on Fujairah port, Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel, and Dubai International Airport, were either minimized or omitted in official statements, with some footage indicating direct hits rather than intercepted attacks.
• Pro-government influencers have been employed to promote a narrative of safety and control, often coordinating posts to reinforce official messaging, while independent reporting faces increasing repression amid the conflict.
• Human rights and press freedom organizations warn that the UAE’s broad restrictions on information related to the strikes undermine public transparency and journalists’ rights, as the government prioritizes security concerns over open disclosure.