Miri Regev Confirms Israel Deployed Iron Dome in UAE During Iran War

Transportation Minister and political-security cabinet member Miri Regev confirmed today (Sunday) that Israel deployed an Iron Dome air defense battery in the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran.

Speaking in an interview with Army Radio, Regev became the first Israeli official to publicly confirm reports that Israel transferred the advanced air defense system to the UAE to help defend it against Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Her remarks confirm a report published about two months ago by the Financial Times, which said Israel sent air defense systems, including laser-based systems, to the United Arab Emirates as part of a joint effort to counter Iranian attacks. According to the report, several dozen Israeli military personnel were also deployed to help operate the systems.

The Financial Times reported that the UAE came under more Iranian missile and drone attacks than any other country during the conflict.

According to the report, the decision followed a conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. After the call, Netanyahu reportedly instructed the IDF to deploy an Iron Dome battery to the Emirates, along with dozens of Israeli soldiers to operate it.

The report said the system successfully intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles fired at the UAE during the fighting.

The deployment is considered a significant military and diplomatic milestone. Beyond transferring one of Israel's most advanced air defense systems, it marked the first known instance of IDF personnel directly participating in the defense of an Arab country against an external attack.

The move also reflects the growing security partnership between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi. In recent years, according to foreign reports, the UAE has purchased several Israeli-made air defense systems, including Israel Aerospace Industries' Barak MX system and Rafael's SPYDER air defense system, as part of efforts to strengthen its defensive capabilities.

Even so, the deployment of the Iron Dome system itself, widely regarded as one of Israel's most advanced and closely guarded defense technologies, together with IDF operating teams, represents an unprecedented level of military cooperation between the two countries.

Iron Dome is considered one of Israel's most sensitive defense systems and, until now, has been sold as a complete system only to the United States. While some of its radar and command-and-control technologies have been exported separately to other countries, the complete system had not previously been deployed in another nation.

According to figures released by the UAE Ministry of Defense, Iran launched approximately 550 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with more than 2,200 drones, at the Emirates during the war. Most were intercepted, although some struck military and civilian targets.

In addition to the deployment of the Iron Dome battery, reports also described broader operational cooperation between the two countries. According to Axios, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes in southern Iran targeting short-range missile launchers to prevent attacks against the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.