Israel sent Iron Dome batteries and personnel to the UAE, US envoy says
US Special Envoy for the Gulf Tom Barrack said Israel had deployed Iron Dome batteries and technical personnel to the United Arab Emirates. Barrack said the deployment is part of regional air-defence coordination. Abu Dhabi has not confirmed the matter.
Speaking at a press briefing in Washington on Tuesday, Barrack said two Iron Dome batteries had been positioned on UAE territory and around 60 Israeli Air Force technical personnel were in country. The deployment is reported to have begun quietly last month.
The US envoy said the deployment is intended chiefly to protect against missile and drone threats launched from Yemen. A written statement from the UAE Foreign Ministry said "joint assessment within regional security needs" was being carried out, though no details were provided.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Ministry declined to comment. Iran's Foreign Ministry described the step as "militarisation of the region". Analysts say the move marks a new phase in the security architecture set up since the 2020 Abraham Accords.
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