UAE gets Israeli laser system to counter Iranian missiles: FT

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UAE gets Israeli laser system to counter Iranian missiles and drones: FT

Editorial Team

May 2, 2026

UAE gets Israeli laser system to counter Iranian missiles and drones — A detail of Iron Beam laser anti-missile interception system, developed by Israel, September 17, 2025. Photo: Israel Defense Ministry/via Reuters

Israel sends Iron Beam laser system to UAE to counter Iran’s missiles and drones

DUBAI,— Israel deployed a version of its Iron Beam laser-based air defense system to the United Arab Emirates to help protect the Gulf nation from Iranian missile and drone attacks during recent hostilities, The Financial Times reported Thursday.

The newspaper said Israel also sent an advanced surveillance system called Spectro, capable of detecting Iranian drones from up to 20 kilometers away. The report cited a source familiar with the matter.

The Financial Times also said Israel sent additional, unspecified weapons systems to the UAE. “It’s not a small number of boots on the ground,” the source told the newspaper.

The report followed an earlier piece by Axios, which said Israel deployed an Iron Dome battery to the UAE and sent several dozen troops to operate it.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the deployment following a phone call with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Axios reported.

Beyond the equipment, Jerusalem provided Abu Dhabi with real-time intelligence on missile launches from Iran heading toward the Gulf state, The Financial Times said.

Sources told the newspaper that most of the defensive and offensive systems sent to the UAE were prototypes or systems not yet fully integrated into Israel’s own military, a step taken to keep pace with the rapid progression of the conflict.

An Israeli Iron Dome system launching a Tamir interceptor missile in 2025. Photo: Israeli Defense Forces/IDF

The reports appear to mark among the first publicly known cases of direct Israeli military cooperation with the UAE beyond joint training exercises.

The two countries established diplomatic, economic and security ties in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, driven partly by a shared concern over Iran.

Bahrain also signed the accords and came under Iranian attack during the recent fighting, though no reports have surfaced indicating whether it received similar support from Israel.

The Iron Beam is a high-powered laser interception system designed to shoot down smaller projectiles, complementing missile-based systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow.

The first operational Iron Beam unit was delivered to the Israel Defense Forces in December 2025, after more than a decade of development following its public debut in 2014. It was declared operational in September after completing final tests.

Unlike conventional air defense systems, the Iron Beam does not run out of ammunition as long as it has a continuous power source. Israeli officials have described it as a potential game-changer in countering projectile attacks.

Since the conflict began Feb. 28, 2026 Israeli and Emirati officials have said their countries maintained close military and political coordination.

The Israeli Air Force also carried out strikes in southern Iran during the war aimed at neutralizing short-range missiles threatening Gulf states.

The UAE was hit hard during the fighting. Between Feb. 28 and April 8, when a fragile ceasefire took hold, Iran fired roughly 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones at the UAE, according to the Emirati defense ministry, making the UAE the most targeted nation in the region, including Israel.

While most projectiles were intercepted, some struck military and civilian targets, reportedly pushing Abu Dhabi to seek assistance from allies.

Iranian strikes hit airports, seaports, hotels, residential areas and oil facilities across Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, according to a report.

(With files from The Financial Times, timesofisrael.com)