Israeli Cabinet Confirms Iron Dome Deployment to UAE Amid Iranian Threats

Israeli Cabinet member and Transportation Minister Miri Regev publicly confirmed for the first time that Israel transferred Iron Dome missile defense batteries to the United Arab Emirates during Operation "Roaring Lion." This marks the initial official acknowledgment of the move, which had previously been surrounded by ambiguity from both Israeli and Emirati officials.

In an interview with Galei Tzahal, Regev highlighted the ballistic missile threat in the region, stating, "They understood that ballistic missiles are one of the biggest challenges. The Emirates rely on us." Until now, Israeli authorities had refrained from confirming reports about the Iron Dome transfer, and Abu Dhabi had not publicly addressed the security cooperation.

About two months ago, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Herzog revealed the transfer at a conference at Tel Aviv University, noting that Israel not only provided the Iron Dome batteries but also sent teams to operate the system, enabled by the Abraham Accords. Regev's statements represent the first official Israeli Cabinet confirmation of the defense cooperation, adding to a series of security collaborations between Israel and the UAE since the Abraham Accords, many of which remain undisclosed publicly.