US Confirms Israel Deployed Iron Dome System to UAE During Iran War

United States ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz

US Confirms Israel Deployed Iron Dome System to UAE During Iran War

The United States has officially confirmed that Israel deployed its Iron Dome air defense system to the United Arab Emirates during the early stages of the recent conflict involving Iran, marking the first known operational deployment of the system outside Israel and the United States.

The disclosure was made by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz during an Israeli Independence Day event hosted by the Israeli Mission to the UN in New York.

“We saw the UAE make use of the Iron Dome provided to it by Israel,” Waltz said, becoming the first government official to publicly acknowledge the deployment.

According to U.S. and Israeli officials cited in international reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the transfer following a direct conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Iranian missile and drone attacks intensified across the Gulf region.

The deployment reportedly included a full Iron Dome battery, interceptors, radar systems, and dozens of Israeli military personnel tasked with operating and maintaining the defense system inside the UAE.

Lagos CARES Grant: How Residents, Small Businesses Can Apply for Financial Support

Two Critically Injured After Gunman Opens Fire on Vehicles in Cambridge

The move came as the UAE faced one of the largest waves of attacks during the Iran conflict. According to the Emirati Ministry of Defense, Iran launched around 550 ballistic and cruise missiles, alongside more than 2,200 drones targeting the UAE during the war.

While most of the projectiles were intercepted by Emirati and allied defense systems, several reportedly struck military and civilian targets, raising fears of a broader regional escalation.

Reports by Axios and the Financial Times also revealed that Israel transferred additional advanced defense technologies to the UAE, including a sophisticated surveillance system capable of detecting Iranian drones and missiles.

Israel was also said to have deployed a version of its Iron Beam laser defense system, one of the country’s newest military technologies designed to intercept rockets and drones using high-powered laser energy. Analysts say the UAE deployment represents one of the first operational uses of Iron Beam outside Israel.

The Iron Dome system, developed by Israeli defense company Rafael, is designed to intercept short-range rockets, drones, and missiles. Since its introduction in 2011, it has become a central component of Israel’s air defense network.

Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz recently claimed the defense system achieved interception rates close to 99 percent during recent regional conflicts.

Security analysts say the deployment highlights the growing military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the UAE since both countries normalized diplomatic relations under the Abraham Accords signed in 2020.

Officials from both countries reportedly describe the current relationship as the strongest security partnership ever established between Israel and a Gulf Arab state.

The development also reflects broader geopolitical changes in the Middle East, where several Gulf nations increasingly view Iran’s missile and drone capabilities as a shared regional threat requiring coordinated defense cooperation with Israel and the United States.

The confirmation comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts involving Washington, Tehran, Abu Dhabi, and Tel Aviv to prevent further escalation following months of missile exchanges, drone attacks, and regional instability.