"Israel" deployed a version of its advanced Iron Beam laser-based air defense system to the United Arab Emirates during the war on Iran, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
Alongside the Iron Beam, "Israel" also sent a surveillance system known as Spectro, designed to detect drones from distances of up to 20 kilometers (approximately 12.4 miles), the report said.
The newspaper further reported, citing Axios, that "Israel" had deployed the better-known Iron Dome system to the UAE, along with troops required to operate it.
Quoting a person familiar with the matter, the report added that the number of Israeli soldiers currently in the UAE is significant. “It’s not a small number of boots on the ground,” the source said.
UAE complicity with 'Israel' runs deep
While the reported deployment of "Israel's" Iron Dome and Iron Beam systems to the United Arab Emirates during the US-Israeli war on Iran marks a notable escalation, the broader military cooperation between the two is not new.
Military cooperation between the UAE and "Israel" began after the signing of the normalization accords in September 2020, which normalized diplomatic relations between the two. Before this agreement, they had no formal diplomatic ties, though some covert intelligence and commercial links existed.
Another significant element is joint defense-industrial collaboration, including technology transfers and localized production. For example, Emirati defense conglomerate Edge Group partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries on counter-drone systems, while negotiations have occurred for UAE-based production of Israeli Hermes 900 drones.
Intelligence sharing forms a further component of the partnership, encompassing real-time threat data and a joint platform focused on cybersecurity threats. The two parties have also conducted joint naval and multilateral military exercises since normalization.
UAE does not heed Iran's warnings
During the US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran said that its strikes on the United Arab Emirates were a direct response to Abu Dhabi's role in enabling attacks by "Israel" and the United States.
According to Iranian officials, the UAE allowed its territory and airspace to be used by Israeli and American forces for launching airstrikes against Iran beginning in late February 2026. Tehran has repeatedly warned that any country facilitating aggression against it will be held directly responsible.
The presence of Israeli military assets on Emirati soil, including the deployment of an Iron Dome battery and a significant number of Israeli troops, serves as confirmation that the UAE is actively participating in the war on Iran.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has explicitly linked its retaliatory strikes to this complicity. Following strikes on Emirati energy infrastructure in March and April 2026, the IRGC asserted that these operations were responses to enemy targets in the UAE, specifically citing US and Israeli aggression.
Source:Websites
