Israel sent military personnel and key defense system to UAE, U.S. envoy says

Iran warIsrael sent military personnel and key defense system to UAE, U.S. envoy saysAmbassador Mike Huckabee’s confirmation indicates the depth of military cooperation between the two former enemies as they face down Iranian counterattacks.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00The Iron Dome anti-missile system fires an interceptor missile from Sderot, Israel, in 2022. Ilia Yefimovich / dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 12, 2026, 1:11 PM EDTBy Matt BradleyTEL AVIV — Israel sent Iron Dome air defense batteries and trained military personnel to the United Arab Emirates, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Tuesday, confirming for the first time the depth of military cooperation between the onetime enemies as they both face down Iran.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The top American envoy to the Middle East credited this cooperation to the Abraham Accords, the agreements between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors that President Donald Trump negotiated during his first term.“I think that the UAE is an example. They were the first Abraham members. But look at the benefits that they have had as a result of it — Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate it,” Huckabee said at a conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. “How come? Because there’s an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel based on the Abraham work.”A plume black of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates after reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai on May 1.Altaf Qadri / APHuckabee’s confirmation shows the extent to which Iran’s attacks against its Gulf Arab neighbors have forged partnerships between Israel and countries that until recently considered the Jewish state their sworn enemy.The ambassador also spoke about Trump’s “day after” plan for the Gaza Strip, where millions of displaced pe...