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At the center of the deployment was the laser system, designed to intercept short-range rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles at a significantly lower cost than traditional missile-based defenses.
By United with Israel Staff
Israel supplied the United Arab Emirates with advanced air defense systems during the recent confrontation with Iran, including a version of its laser-based interception system “Iron Beam,” according to a report by the Financial Times.
The systems were transferred as the Gulf state came under sustained attacks from Iranian ballistic missiles and drone swarms, with strikes reported on infrastructure in Dubai and Abu Dhabi over several weeks of fighting.
At the center of the deployment was the laser system, designed to intercept short-range rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles at a significantly lower cost than traditional missile-based defenses.
The Financial Times noted that the growing reliance on such systems reflects increasing pressure on interceptor stockpiles like the US-made Patriot and THAAD, which can cost millions of dollars per launch.
Sources familiar with the matter said Israel also provided additional detection capabilities, including systems capable of identifying incoming drones at distances of up to 20 kilometers. The report added that multiple Israeli defense platforms were deployed across Gulf states, along with Israeli personnel assisting in their operation.
Separately, Axios reported that Israel transferred an Iron Dome battery to the UAE at the outset of the conflict, marking what officials described as the first operational deployment of the system outside Israel and the United States. The system was said to have intercepted dozens of incoming projectiles.
Israeli defense officials and companies, including Rafael and Elbit Systems, declined to comment on the reports, and Emirati authorities have not publicly confirmed the deployments.
A regional source told the Financial Times that the move highlights the growing strategic value of Israel’s defense partnership with Gulf states, particularly as they seek more cost-effective solutions to counter evolving Iranian threats.
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