Whenever we detected a kinetic attack on ports, oil refineries, or airports, there was a simultaneous cyberattack targeting those facilities at the same time.
Article index:
- Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti’s statements at the Arab Media Summit
- Synchronization of kinetic attacks with organized digital piracy
- Intensity of daily attacks and infrastructure targeting
- Countering threats in cooperation with the local and international private sector
- Urgent call to adopt an international cyber Geneva Convention
- Western intelligence warnings and UAE 2071 aspirations
- Frequently asked questions
Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti’s statements at the Arab Media Summit
Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the Cyber Security Council for the Government of the United Arab Emirates, revealed crucial details on Wednesday regarding the nature of contemporary hybrid confrontations and wars, confirming that every missile attack or drone strike launched by Iran during the 2026 war was paired with a direct and coordinated cyberattack targeting the same location and vital facility simultaneously.
In statements made to the Euronews news network on the sidelines of the Arab Media Summit held in Dubai, Al Kuwaiti explained that this timing was methodical and consistent, adding: “Whenever we detected a kinetic military strike targeting any sea port, oil refinery, or airport, there was always a parallel cyberattack striking these entities, as cybercrimes, electronic terrorism, and digital warfare converged together in this crisis.”
Synchronization of kinetic attacks with organized digital piracy
These sabotage operations included complex breaches of digital supply chains, ransomware attacks, advanced persistent threats, and the employment of misleading deepfake campaigns to disrupt crisis management systems and field control.
The digital strikes targeted highly sensitive infrastructure affecting daily life, including power generation and transmission networks, water desalination and pumping facilities, and air navigation systems in the civil aviation sector, in a calculated attempt to disrupt emergency response teams and amplify the destructive impact of conventional missile strikes on the ground.
Intensity of daily attacks and infrastructure targeting
In a television interview with anchor Becky Anderson on CNN, Al Kuwaiti confirmed that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stands directly behind most of these hostile cyber operations, revealing that UAE defense systems recorded and repelled more than 640,000 cyberattacks on Tuesday alone.
At the peak of tensions and military conflicts earlier this year, the number of cyberattacks handled by security teams reached approximately 800,000 per day, according to the Rest of World platform, reflecting an exceptional and unprecedented volume of continuous digital pressure on the nation’s networks.
Countering threats in cooperation with the local and international private sector
The head of the Cyber Security Council pointed out that a large portion of the targeted critical infrastructure is managed and operated by private sector companies, praising the level of coordination and high readiness demonstrated by joint working teams between government agencies and national and global institutions and companies operating in the country.
Al Kuwaiti explained that this close solidarity and field cooperation between the public and private sectors, alongside international technical partnerships, enabled the UAE to absorb these massive digital attacks and thwart their destructive objectives without allowing paralyzation in strategic facilities or disruption in supply chains.
Urgent call to adopt an international cyber Geneva Convention
Al Kuwaiti emphasized that current international laws have failed to keep pace with the terrifying developments of hybrid warfare, as the global legal system lacks any binding treaty defining how nations should respond and their right to legitimate defense when subjected to destructive attacks via digital networks rather than conventional weapons.
Al Kuwaiti stated firmly: “The international arena still lacks a cyber Geneva Convention that protects nations based on strict physical laws; does a nation attacked in cyberspace have the legal right to a reciprocal military response? These laws remain vague and require international resolution,” while warning of the danger of accompanying disinformation campaigns targeting public awareness.
Western intelligence warnings and UAE 2071 aspirations
The Emirati official’s statements coincided with high-level Western security and intelligence warnings, as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the UK National Cyber Security Centre, and the Dutch intelligence agency issued a joint statement warning of malicious Iranian spyware known as “Chosen Break,” used by Tehran to target dissidents via WhatsApp and Telegram.
Al Kuwaiti concluded his statements by emphasizing that the UAE will continue to press for and demand the adoption of binding international cyber standards and codes of conduct under the umbrella of the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union, to protect its strategic ambitions and pioneering journey toward building a state entirely driven by artificial intelligence by the 2071 centennial.
Frequently asked questions
Question: What is the new military pattern revealed by the UAE regarding Iranian attacks?
Answer: The pairing and synchronization of every missile strike or drone with a coordinated cyberattack directly targeting the same vital facility.
Question: How many cyberattacks did the UAE handle daily?
Answer: Defense systems repelled 640,000 cyberattacks in a single day, and the figure reached 800,000 attacks daily at the peak of the crisis.
Question: Why is the UAE Head of Cyber Security demanding a cyber Geneva Convention?
Answer: To bridge the gap in international law and establish clear and decisive rules for nations’ right to defend and respond legitimately to digital attacks.
