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United States officials have reportedly confirmed that Israel sent Iron Dome air defense systems to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the war triggered by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
According to Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz made the remarks during an event organized by Israel’s U.N. Mission in New York.
“We saw the UAE using the Iron Dome provided to it by Israel,” Waltz said, according to the report.
His remarks marked the first public confirmation by a U.S. official that Israel transferred Iron Dome systems to the UAE during the conflict.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported Tuesday that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also confirmed the deployment.
“Israel just sent the UAE Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help them operate them,” Huckabee said at an event in Tel Aviv.
“How come? Because there’s an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel based on the Abraham Accords,” he added, referring to the 2020 normalization agreement between the two countries.
A source briefed on the matter told Reuters that Israel transferred air defense systems to help the UAE defend against Iranian attacks during the war.
A report published April 26 by U.S.-based news outlet Axios, citing unnamed Israeli and U.S. officials, claimed military, intelligence and security cooperation between Israel and the UAE reached unprecedented levels during the conflict.
According to the report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to send an Iron Dome battery and dozens of Israeli personnel to the UAE after a conversation with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the early stages of the war.
Officials cited by Axios said the UAE became the first country after the United States and Israel to operate the Iron Dome system.
They claimed the system intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles launched toward the Gulf country.
Iran has targeted the UAE more than any other country since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, and attacks have continued during the current truce period.
Senior Emirati official Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the UAE president, said in March that Iranian attacks on Arab neighbors would strengthen relations between Israel and Arab states, maintaining diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv.
The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory strikes by Tehran against U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East.
More than 3,300 people were killed and tens of thousands displaced in Iran during the conflict.
At least 13 U.S. servicemen were killed and dozens were wounded before Pakistan brokered a ceasefire between the warring sides on April 8.
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