Washington<\/em> \u2014 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates recently, where he met with Mohammed bin Zayed, the country’s president, sources told CBS News.<\/p>\n Netanyahu’s office later acknowledged the trip, saying in a statement that it “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”<\/p>\n Sources told CBS News that the meeting occurred in late March. Spokespeople for the UAE did not immediately comment.<\/p>\n News of the visit comes after a report by the Wall Street Journal that the UAE carried out military strikes on Iran last month. The UAE has not acknowledged that action publicly.<\/p>\n Israel has sent Iron Dome air-defense batteries and personnel to the UAE, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Tuesday. Sources confirmed the UAE received the defense systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to a U.S. official, Netanyahu traveled to the UAE in 2018 to meet with MBZ, as he is often called.\u00a0<\/p>\n The UAE was the first country to sign on to the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab nations.<\/p>\n