Summary
A false claim by Yemen's Houthi rebels of an attack on the world's busiest airport for international travel this week may have been quickly disproven by authorities in Dubai. That doesn't mean, however, it can be taken too lightly.The insistence of the Houthis and hard-line media in Iran on trumpeting the falsehood serves as a warning to the city-state and other parts of the United Arab Emirates, now engaged in the yearslong Yemen war led by Saudi Arabia.
That means as American sanctions sparked by President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal increase, so too will the threats against the U.S.-allied UAE.
Such threats against Dubai itself are rare. While the UAE's Abu Dhabi-based federal government remains highly suspicious of Iran and has worked to expand its military in recent years to counter the threat, Dubai and other northern emirates in the country of seven sheikhdoms have historic ties to Iran.
Previous threats against Dubai have drawn an immediate government response.
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