Israel sent Iron Dome, troops to UAE amid Iran war in first overseas use: Report

In the early phase of the US-Israel-Iran war, Israel deployed its Iron Dome system to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Gulf nation came under sustained missile and drone attacks from Iran.

In Short

• UAE sought urgent help amid missile and drone attacks
• Netanyahu deployed Iron Dome battery to UAE during Iran war
• This was first overseas use of Israel's air defence system

In a first-ever overseas deployment of its flagship air defence system, Israel sent an Iron Dome battery along with military personnel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the war with Iran, according to an Axios report citing US and Israeli officials.

The deployment, which had not been publicly disclosed earlier, took place in the early phase of the conflict after the UAE came under sustained missile and drone attacks from Iran targeting US bases, installations, and interests across the Gulf.

Abu Dhabi is learnt to have sought urgent assistance from its allies as key civilian and military infrastructure came under threat. Following a call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defence Forces to deploy an Iron Dome battery, along with interceptors and several dozen personnel, the American media outlet reported.

According to a senior Israeli official, this was the first time Israel had deployed an Iron Dome battery to another country, with the UAE becoming the first nation outside the US and Israel to use the system.

The Iron Dome is a mobile, all-weather air defence system designed to intercept and neutralise short-range rockets and artillery shells. Developed by Rafael in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries, with substantial support from the US, the system boasts a success rate exceeding 90 per cent. It forms the innermost layer of Israel's multi-tiered defence architecture, safeguarding civilian areas against threats launched from distances of up to 70 kilometres.

Apart from the deployment of the Iron Dome, Israeli and Emirati officials said the two countries maintained close military and political coordination throughout the war, which began on February 28. Israel also carried out multiple airstrikes targeting short-range missile systems in southern Iran, aiming to neutralise threats before they could be launched at the UAE and other Gulf countries.

Since the normalisation of ties under the Abraham Accords in 2020, diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel have evolved into an open and rapidly expanding strategic partnership. What began as a historic diplomatic breakthrough has since deepened into robust cooperation across security, defence, intelligence, and technology, driven by what experts see as increasingly aligned national interests.

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