Scoop: Israel sent "Iron Dome" system and troops to UAE during Iran war
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L-R: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at the Abraham Accords signing in 2020. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Israel sent the United Arab Emirates an Iron Dome air defense system with troops to operate it early in the war with Iran, two Israeli officials and one U.S. official tell Axios.
Why it matters: The military, security and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the UAE has reached new heights during the war. The unprecedented deployment of the Iron Dome system during the war was not previously made public.
Driving the news: Since the beginning of the war, the UAE has been targeted by Iran more than any other country in the region.
- According to the Emirati ministry of defense, Iran fired around 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones at the UAE.
- Most of the missiles and drones were intercepted, but some managed to hit military and civilian targets in the country.
Behind the scenes: The massive attacks the UAE suffered led the country to seek assistance from allies.
- Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defense Forces to send an Iron Dome battery with interceptors and several dozen IDF operators after a call with the Emirati president Mohammed bin Zayed, Israeli officials said.
- That was the first time Israel had sent an Iron Dome battery to another country, and the UAE was the first country outside of the U.S. and Israel in which the system was used, a senior Israeli official said.
- The system intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles, a second Israeli official said.
Zoom out: The countries have been coordinating closely militarily and politically since the war began, Israeli and Emirati officials say.
- The Israeli Air Force also conducted numerous strikes to take out short-range missiles positioned in southern Iran before they could strike the UAE and other Gulf countries.
Between the lines: The deployment of Israeli troops to UAE soil could be politically sensitive in the Gulf.
- But Emirati officials said the war with Iran changed the mindset of many people in the UAE. One official said anyone seen as helping protect the country against Iranian attacks will be seen in a positive way.
- Meanwhile, Netanyahu's decision to share an air defense system with the Emiratis at a time when Israel was itself taking heavy fire could provoke backlash in Israel.
Flashback: Israel and the UAE signed a peace treaty in 2020. While there have been differences over issues including Gaza since then, both Israeli and Emirati officials say the partnership is currently the closest it's ever been.
What they're saying: Tareq al-Otaiba, a former official at the UAE's national security council, wrote in an article for the Arab Gulf States Institute (AGSI) that Israel was one of the countries that "have stepped up to provide real assistance to the UAE."
- "Primarily, the United States and Israel have proved to be true allies by offering support through extensive military aid, intelligence sharing, and diplomatic backing," al-Otaiba wrote.
The bottom line: "We are not going to forget it," a senior Emirati official said of the assistance from Israel and Netanyahu at a critical moment.
- A second Emirati official said this was also true about other countries that stepped up and helped the UAE defend itself, like the U.S., France, U.K., Italy and Australia.
- "It was a real eye-opening moment. To see who our real friends are," the Emirati official said.
Go deeper: Trump cancels envoys' trip to Pakistan for Iran talks
