Israel sent an Iron Dome air defense system to the United Arab Emirates at the start of the war with Iran, including personnel to operate it, two Israeli officials and one U.S. official told Axios.
The number of Iranian missile and drone launches targeting the UAE was the highest in the conflict, exceeding even those fired at Israel. According to the Emirati Defense Ministry, Iran launched 550 ballistic and cruise missiles as well as 2,200 drones. Most were intercepted, but some struck military and civilian sites.
The massive attack on the UAE led the country to seek help from its allies. Israeli officials said that following a call with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israel Defense Forces to deploy an Iron Dome battery, including interceptors and dozens of soldiers to operate it.
According to the report, this marked the first time an Iron Dome battery was transferred to another country. A senior Israeli official said the UAE became the first country after Israel and the United States to use the air defense system. Another Israeli official said the battery intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles.
Emirati officials told Axios the war shifted public sentiment in the country regarding accepting assistance from Israel. One official said the public began to view positively any party helping defend against Iranian attacks.
Tareq Alotaiba, a former senior official in the UAE National Security Council, addressed the issue publicly. In an article for the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, he wrote that “Israel was one of the countries that stepped up to provide real assistance to the UAE.”
“The United States and Israel proved themselves to be true allies,” he wrote, “by offering support through extensive military assistance, intelligence sharing and diplomatic backing. We will not forget this.”
Another Emirati official said that, in addition to Israel and the United States, other countries including France, Britain, Italy and Australia also came to the Gulf state’s aid.
“It was an eye-opening moment to see who our real friends are,” the official said.