Overview
- Transportation Minister Miri Regev confirmed on July 5 that Israel transferred Iron Dome missile‑defense batteries to the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran.
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee previously told reporters in May that Israeli personnel were deployed to the Emirates to operate the system on the ground.
- Reports say Iran launched waves of cruise missiles and attack drones at the UAE in May that prompted emergency alerts, caused injuries and struck at least one petrochemical facility.
- Some outlets report the deployed Iron Dome intercepted dozens of incoming projectiles and that this was the system’s first operational use outside Israel or the United States, but those claims have limited independent verification.
- The Wall Street Journal and other reporting say the UAE carried out covert airstrikes inside Iran with U.S. and Israeli coordination, a development that analysts warn could widen the conflict’s footprint and strain Gulf ties between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.