Authorities in the United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday the dismantling of a terrorist network which they said was funded and operated by Hezbollah and Iran, Reuters reported.
The network was reportedly involved in money laundering, financing terrorism, and posing a threat to national security.
According to the UAE state news agency, the arrested members of the network were working under the guise of a commercial enterprise, aiming to infiltrate the national economy and destabilize the country's financial stability.
There has been no immediate response from either Hezbollah or Iran regarding the claims.
The UAE has been a key target in Iran’s ongoing missile and drone attacks since the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February. Emirati officials have confirmed that hundreds of strikes have targeted the country, damaging vital infrastructure such as oil facilities, ports, and regions near major urban centers.
Thursday’s announcement comes a day after Kuwait announced the second set of arrests this week involving a group of 10 Kuwaiti nationals allegedly linked to the Hezbollah terrorist organization.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the group had planned to target vital facilities in Kuwait as part of a larger plot aimed at destabilizing the Gulf state.
The suspects, who had trained in camps abroad linked to Hezbollah, are accused of coordinating with external operatives to gather coordinates of key sites in Kuwait. The ministry confirmed that the suspects provided detailed confessions following their arrests.
This announcement comes after the earlier arrests this week of 14 Kuwaiti nationals and two Lebanese citizens, who were also linked to Hezbollah. These individuals were allegedly involved in efforts to undermine the stability of the country.