UAE Reportedly Received Israeli Military Aid Following Yemeni Airstrikes in 2022

 

UAE king and Israel PM

According to an updated version of the book "Trump's Peace" by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) received significant security assistance from Israel in April 2022. The aid came in response to a series of missile and drone strikes carried out by Yemen's Ansarallah resistance movement, targeting deep inside Abu Dhabi and also impacting Saudi Arabia.

The book reveals that Israel swiftly dispatched a delegation of Mossad and army intelligence officials to the UAE. They also transferred a shipment of batteries from the SPYDER air defense system as a show of support following the audacious attacks. An Emirati official is quoted in the book expressing gratitude for the assistance received.

The prompt and substantial aid from Tel Aviv contrasted with the more restrained response from the United States, which reportedly led to dissatisfaction in Abu Dhabi and contributed to ongoing tensions with President Joe Biden.

Furthermore, Ravid claims that former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had proposed the establishment of a "Middle East Air Defense Alliance (MEAD)" to UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) a few months before the Ansarallah strikes. This proposed system would involve a network of radars operating under the auspices of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to enhance regional defense capabilities.

The UAE and Israel normalized their relations in 2020 under US sponsorship, leading to increased trade and defense cooperation between the two nations. The UAE has also been supportive of Israel in the United Nations Security Council, shielding it from criticism regarding its treatment of Palestinians and the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Additionally, the UAE and Israel are reportedly coordinating their actions concerning the occupation of Yemen's Socotra Archipelago. Their aim is to establish joint military control over this strategic maritime area through which approximately 20,000 shipping vessels are expected to pass this year.