US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel has sent Iron Dome air defense batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the first known deployment of the advanced system outside Israel.

Speaking at an event in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Huckabee praised the UAE as an “example” of strong ties between Israel and Gulf states. “They were the first Abraham Accord member,” he said, referring to the 2020 normalization agreements. “But look at the benefits that they have had as a result: Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them. How come? Because there’s an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel.”

Several media outlets had previously reported on the Iron Dome deployment in the UAE in recent weeks. Huckabee’s comment offers the first official confirmation, highlighting deepening Israel-UAE ties amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The system, funded by billions of US taxpayer dollars, has been used extensively to intercept rockets and missiles.

The UAE and other Gulf countries have come under Iranian missile and drone strikes since the US and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28. While Iran claims it is targeting US assets, regional countries accuse Tehran of striking civilian sites, including airports, hotels, and energy infrastructure.

Huckabee called on Gulf states to “pick a side” between Israel and Iran. “Israel is not your natural enemy. Israel is not out to destroy you. Israel is not trying to take over your land,” he said. “It’s not sending missiles into your civilian territories. Who’s doing that? Iran is.”

However, Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador to the US, Prince Turki al-Faisal, explained the kingdom’s restraint in a column for Asharq Al-Awsat: “Had the Israeli plan to ignite war between us and Iran succeeded, the region would have been plunged into ruin and destruction. Thousands of our sons and daughters would have been lost in a battle in which we had no stake.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com