Israel, Gulf States in discussions for air defense systems
The famed Iron Dome system is not the only system that could be on the table.
As rocket and drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates have increased, talks are underway between Israel and several Persian Gulf states to understand what air defense systems are most relevant for the threats that they face.
Though Israel’s famed Iron Dome system has made headlines around the world for its interceptions during the numerous rounds of conflict with the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and has been touted as the system most likely to be sold to countries interested in such platforms, Jerusalem has a variety of air defense systems.
Discussions with the Gulf countries centered around shared threats such as rocket and drone attacks. The discussions allowed Israeli officials to understand that the Jewish State has other systems that may be a better solution to such threats.
Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and a number of other Arab countries signed normalization agreements in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords, bringing years of covert contacts into the open.
The UAE has faced a number of missile attacks launched by Iran’s Houthi rebels in Yemen in recent weeks, including during the trip of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to Abu Dhabi, and one in January that killed three foreign workers.
