Israel don deploy im Iron Dome missile defense system inside United Arab Emirates during di war with Iran, according to two people wey know di matter. Dis one na big sign of defense cooperation between Israel and an Arab nation.
Iron Dome na system wey Israel develop to catch incoming short-range rocket fire. E don be critical line of defense for di country wars with Hamas and Hezbollah. Israeli soldiers travel to di Emirates to operate di system, one of di two people talk, but dem no gree make dem mention name because di information sensitive.
Di news site Axios first report say Israel send Iron Dome to di Emirates. Appear say na di first time di system deploy for an Arab country. Di arrangement show di close relationship wey Israel don develop with di Persian Gulf country since dem agree to normalize relations for 2020.
E also signal how di Emirates dey pursue im own interests, no dey bound by traditional alliances and conventions for di region. Cooperation with Israel still remain taboo among many Arab public. Most notably, di Emirates don pull away from im once-close alignment with Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, di Emirates announce say dem dey withdraw from OPEC, di cartel of oil-producing countries wey include many Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, di de facto leader of di cartel. Di Israeli military and Emirati foreign ministry no immediately respond to request for comment on di Iron Dome deployment. Di Israeli defense ministry also decline to comment.
Di Israeli assault on Iran begin for February. Iran retaliate by launching attacks on Israel and Arab countries wey host American military bases. Di Emirates bear di brunt of dat for di Gulf, and field more attacks than any neighbor, experts say. For April, di Emirati ministry of defense say di country air defenses engage nearly 3,000 missiles and drones during di war. Di attacks kill several people and injure many more, and cause damage to civilian infrastructure, including hotels, and some military sites.
Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones pose particular challenge to di country, occasionally managing to evade im air defense systems. Di Emirates na one of di Arab countries wey normalize relations with Israel during President Trump first term, under di Abraham Accords. Di Emirates maintain those relations, even as Israel face immense criticism from Arab countries for im bombing campaign for Gaza, following di Hamas-led October 7 attack.
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