US diplomat Mike Huckabee has revealed that Israel deployed Iron Dome batteries and “personnel to help operate them” to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help fend off Iranian attacks.
The United States ambassador to Israel heaped praise on the UAE during an event in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, saying that Abu Dhabi serves as an “example” of strong ties between Israel and Gulf states.
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“They were the first Abraham Accord member,” he said, referring to the agreements that established formal relations between Israel and several Arab countries in 2020.
“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 reported on the deployment of the Iron Drone in the UAE over the past weeks. Huckabee’s comment offers the first official confirmation of the move, which highlights the deepening relationship between Israel and Abu Dhabi amid the war with Iran.
This is the first known instance of the advanced air defence technology – which has been funded by billions of dollars from the US government – being used outside Israel.
Previously, Israel refused to transfer Iron Dome batteries to Ukraine to shoot down Russian missiles.
The UAE and other Gulf countries have come under Iranian missile and drone strikes since the US and Israel started attacking Iran on February 28.
While Iran claims that it has been attacking US assets in the Middle East, regional countries have accused Tehran of targeting civilian sites, including airports, hotels and energy infrastructure.
UAE and Bahrain are the only two countries in the Gulf that have official ties with Israel as part of the so-called Abraham Accords.
On Tuesday, 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.”
Last year, Israel launched major air strikes against the Qatari capital Doha, targeting Hamas’s leadership during the Gaza ceasefire talks.
While top Hamas officials survived the attack, six others, including one Qatari officer, were killed.
In February, Huckabee sparked outrage when he suggested that he backs the establishment of Greater Israel in accordance with his interpretation of the Bible.
Such a stretch of territory would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and parts of Saudi Arabia.
“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee, who was appointed by President Donald Trump last year, told conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
He later tried to walk back his comment and accused Carlson of misrepresenting his position.
On Tuesday, Huckabee argued that Gulf countries should side with the US and Israel.
“Which side you’re going to pick – the US and Israel represents one side, the Iranian and their radical Shia fanaticism represents another side. Which side do you want to be on?” the US envoy said.
Despite coming under Iranian attacks, many Gulf states have not moved closer to Israel publicly. They also have not responded militarily to the Iranian strikes.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador to the United States, explained the rationale behind the kingdom’s restraint in a recent column for Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
“Had the Israeli plan to ignite war between us and Iran succeeded, the region would have been plunged into ruin and destruction,” he wrote.
“Thousands of our sons and daughters would have been lost in a battle in which we had no stake. Israel would have succeeded in imposing its will on the region and remained the only actor in our surroundings.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israel’s Government Press Office did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
