DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A rabbi of Israeli-Moldovan descent residing in the UAE has gone missing, prompting Israeli officials to suspect the possibility of a kidnapping amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Zvi Kogan has not been seen since midday Thursday, as confirmed by the office of the Israeli prime minister on Saturday.

“Since Kogan’s disappearance, and in light of indications suggesting a potential terrorist act, a comprehensive investigation has been initiated within the country,” said an official statement from the prime minister’s office.

As of Saturday, there has been no immediate response from Emirati authorities regarding the situation. Additionally, state-operated media in the UAE, which is a federation of seven sheikhdoms including the well-known capitals of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has yet to cover the incident.

The UAE officially recognized Israel in 2020, a diplomatic agreement they have maintained despite ongoing conflicts such as the Israel-Hamas hostilities in Gaza and Israel’s military actions in Lebanon.

Although the Israeli statement did not directly reference Iran, there is a history of Iranian intelligence conducting abductions within the UAE in previous instances.