Axios: Israel deployed Iron Dome system to UAE during Iran conflict

Israel deployed its Iron Dome air defense system and military personnel to the United Arab Emirates during the conflict with Iran, two Israeli officials and one US official told Axios.

According to sources, the deployment took place at the beginning of the conflict, during which the UAE was targeted by Iranian attacks more frequently than other countries in the region.

Israeli officials said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a phone call with the Emirati president, ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to send an Iron Dome battery along with interceptors and several dozen operators.

This marks the first time Israel has deployed an Iron Dome battery to another country. A senior Israeli official said the UAE became the first country outside Israel and the United States where the system was stationed.

According to the report, the system intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles. “We are not going to forget,” a senior Emirati official said, referring to Israel’s assistance during a critical period.

At the same time, Axios noted that Netanyahu’s decision to transfer an air defense system abroad during intense attacks on Israel could trigger domestic political backlash.

By Jeyhun Aghazada