PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 12th, 2026: UAE Launches Strikes In Iran & Pakistan’s Secret Iran Assistance

May 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In this PDB Afternoon Bulletin from May 12, 2026, host Mike Baker covers two key post-ceasefire developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict: reports of secret UAE strikes on Iranian targets and Pakistan's alleged sheltering of Iranian military aircraft. These revelations highlight how Gulf states and neighbors are navigating the fragile truce amid ongoing tensions.

UAE's Secret Strikes on Iran

New Wall Street Journal reporting reveals the United Arab Emirates has conducted direct military strikes on Iranian territory, marking a shift from public restraint to active combat. A notable attack hit a major oil refinery on Lavan Island in early April, around the time President Trump announced a ceasefire after a five-week U.S. air campaign. Lavan Island serves as a critical oil export hub near the Strait of Hormuz, handling significant crude exports and infrastructure; the refinery has been offline for months, disrupting Iran's energy operations.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

What you'll learn

1 (00:11) **Intro and Tease** - Host Mike Baker welcomes listeners and previews UAE strikes on Iran and Pakistan's aid to Iran
2 (00:54) **UAE Joins Strikes on Iran** - WSJ reports UAE secretly launched direct attacks on Iranian targets amid Gulf conflict escalation
3 (02:09) **UAE Public Response** - UAE declines comment but asserts right to military response; White House quietly supports Gulf ally involvement
4 (02:40) **Shift in Gulf Stance** - Pre-war reluctance to aid US attacks reversed after Iran's 2800+ missiles/drones targeted UAE most heavily
5 (04:08) **UAE Military Capabilities** - Advanced air force with F-16s, Mirages, drones; enabled by US/Israel degrading Iran's air defenses
6 (04:57) **Broader Strategic Realignment** - UAE moves from diplomacy to US military alignment, signaling Middle East power shift
7 (05:19) **Pakistan Shelters Iranian Aircraft** - CBS reports Iran moved military planes like RC-100 recon to Pakistan's Nur Khan AFB post-ceasefire

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:

New reporting says the United Arab Emirates has joined the fight against Iran, launching direct strikes on Iranian territory as the Gulf conflict quietly widened behind the scenes.
Later in the show — reports suggest Pakistan may have quietly helped Iran shield military aircraft from possible U.S. strikes, even while publicly attempting to broker diplomacy between Tehran and Washington.

To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.

Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.

YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief

HomeServe: Protect your home systems from costly repairs with HomeServe—plans start at $4.99/month at https://HomeServe.com.

BUB Naturals: Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code PDB at https://Bubsnaturals.com

Ridge Wallet: Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code PDB at https://www.Ridge.com/PDB#Ridgepod

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices