TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during the Iran war, the U.S. ambassador to Israel said Tuesday.The comments by Mike Huckabee underline the growing defense relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries long suspicious of Iran, as a shaky ceasefire still holds in the Iran war. It represents the first publicly acknowledged deployment of Israel’s military to the Emirates, a federation of seven sheikdoms on the Arabian Peninsula home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.However, the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran’s chokehold and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear at a standstill for the moment — raising the risk of the conflict breaking out again.Huckabee, a Baptist minister, former governor of Arkansas and one-time presidential candidate, made the comment on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.“I’d like to say a word of appreciation for United Arab Emirates, the first Abraham accord member,” Huckabee said at the Tel Aviv Conference. “Just look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”Related Stories The United Arab Emirates diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020. That drew immediate criticism from Iran, long Israel’s main regional enemy. Iran did not immediately respond to Huckabee’s remarks, though it has repeatedly suggested over the years that Israel maintained a military and intelligence presence in the Emirates. Israeli deployment comes as UAE signals strengthThe UAE and Israel did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the acknowledgment by Huckabee. However, Huckabee’s remarks came after the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, was quoted as saying the same during an event at the Israeli mission there Monday night — suggesting this was an intentional release of the information, likely with the Emiratis’ and Israelis’ blessing. It comes as the UAE has faced Iranian missile and drone fire even after the ceasefire was reached in the war and has been trying to signal to nervous investors and the public it remains open for business and safe. The UAE also has closed down Iranian government-linked sites in the country since the war began. The Emirates long has been used by both the Iranian government and average Iranians as a place to safely do business offshore from the Islamic Republic. On Thursday during a visit to the Emirates by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan accompanied him to an air base where Egyptian pilots and Rafael fighter jets were stationed — the first acknowledgment of a detachment operating in the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE strongly backed el-Sissi as he rose to power in 2013 and in the years since. Huckabee urges other Gulf states to recognize IsraelHuckabee added that he was “very optimistic? for high school students (grades 9–12) in a clear, engaging, and age-appropriate way. Use straightforward but respectful language and keep the summary under 150 words. Focus on key facts and why the story matters. Then, on a new line and as a separate paragraph, include one insightful, open-ended question labeled as “ QUESTION:” The question should: • Be directly related to the article • Be varied in tone and structure (not repetitive) • Encourage reflection, curiosity, or connection to students’ lives Examples of question types to rotate through: • What could happen if…? • How would you feel if…? • Why do you think…? • What should people do about…? • How might this affect your generation? Format: [Summary paragraph] QUESTION: [Your insightful, open-ended question here]
US ambassador to Israel says Israel sent Iron Dome batteries, personnel to UAE to defend country
