For the first time in history, Israel has moved a fully operational Iron Dome battery, complete with Tamir interceptor missiles and several dozen Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel, to foreign soil. More interestingly, the recipient is an Arab country.
According to reports, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) witnessed the deployment of the Iron Dome air defence system on its soil by the IDF when 'Operation Epic Fury' was at its height. Dozens of Israeli servicemen also arrived in the UAE along with an operational Iron Dome battery and Tamir interceptor missiles, a report said.
For the unversed, Israel’s defences have several layers, each designed to address threats coming from different ranges. Iron Dome is just one of these layers: a short range, anti-artillery defence system, designed to intercept short-range artillery shells and rockets.
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In essence, Iron Dome consists of a network of radar emitters, command and control facilities, and the interceptors (special surface-to-air missiles). The radar quickly detects incoming threats, the command and control elements decide which are most pressing, and the interceptors are sent to destroy the incoming shells or rockets.
Netanyahu personally ordered the deployment
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly personally ordered the deployment in the UAE after conversing with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan over the phone. Netanyahu understood that this was not routine defence cooperation on paper, but a war-time appeal that required immediate approval, and he acted accordingly.
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The conversation and deployment are believed to have occurred during the early stages of the US–Israeli offensive on Tehran. At least seven West Asian countries were struck by the Islamic Republic in response, and the UAE was among the worst hit—reportly receiving some 550 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with more than 2,200 drones.
While the Iron Dome took out dozens of Iranian missiles over the UAE's skies, the Israeli Air Force targeted the enemy's short-range missile infrastructure that could have been used to trouble Abu Dhabi further. As per reports, the response from the Emirati hierarchy to this strategic help included statements such as “a truly eye-opening moment,” “understanding who our true friends really are,” and “We will never forget this assistance.”