Iran conflict 2026: US ambassador says Israel deployed Iron Dome to UAE

An image of Rafael's Iron Beam laser system, released shortly before the system's delivery to the IDF on 28 December 2025. (Israel MoD)

Israel has deployed Iron Dome air defence systems to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help defend it against Iranian attacks, according to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

“Israel just sent them [the emirates] Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them,” he said during a talk at Tel Aviv University on 12 May 2026 to illustrate the potential benefits to Gulf Arab states of good relations with Israel.

Axios first reported the deployment of the Iron Dome systems to the UAE on 26 April, citing one US and two Israeli officials.

Iron Beam

Huckabee did not corroborate a 1 May Financial Times report that Israel had deployed a version of the Iron Beam laser system to the UAE, as well as Elbit's Spectro electro-optical system to help identify unmanned aerial vehicles.

The first Iron Beam system was inaugurated into Israeli service in December 2025, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rushed two less-powerful prototypes into service earlier. These appear to be the ones Rafael Advanced Defense Systems now advertises as the 50 kW Iron Beam M (mobile) and 10 kW Lite Beam.

The deployment of a different type of laser to the UAE was indicated by an amateur video that circulated on social media later in May. Filmed from an airliner as it taxied at an airport, it showed a system that looked very similar to the ones the Chinese company Poly Technologies promotes internationally as the 30 kW Silent Hunter and has been referred to as the Guangjian-21A (light arrow) in China. Janes