Israel deployed its Iron Dome missile defence system to the United Arab Emirates, along with dozens of soldiers to operate it, during the early stages of the war with Iran, according to a media report highlighting deepening military coordination between the two countries.
The Axios cited two Israeli officials and one US official as saying the decision followed a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Netanyahu subsequently instructed the military to deploy an air defence battery, including interceptor missiles and operational crews.
According to the report, this marks the first time the Iron Dome system has been deployed outside Israel. A senior Israeli official said the UAE is the first country, apart from the United States, to host the system operationally on its territory.
The official stated that the system intercepted âdozens of Iranian missilesâ during intensive attacks targeting the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Defence said Iran launched around 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones during the conflict, with some striking military and civilian sites.
The scale of the attacks led the UAE to request support from its allies, the report said. It added that the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes in southern Iran targeting short-range missile launch sites before they could be launched towards the UAE and other Gulf states, according to Israeli statements.
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