‘Israel’ allows U.S. to deploy Iron Dome missile defense in the Gulf

‘Israel’ has allowed the US to install its Iron Dome missile defense system in its bases in the Gulf states, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday.

“The United States is expected to soon begin deploying Iron Dome missile interceptor batteries, one of the jewels of Israel’s arms manufacturing industry, in its bases in the Gulf states,” Haaretz quoted an Israeli official as saying.

The newspaper said Washington got Israeli approval “to begin deploying the missile defense systems on American military bases in a number of countries, including in the Middle East, Europe and Far East.”

“I am certain that the system will help the US army defend American soldiers against ballistic and aerial threats,” said Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz at the time of ceremony for delivering the second battery.

Three weeks ago, ‘Israel’ handed a second Iron Dome battery to the US under a 2019 agreement between them, Haaretz reported.

No name for the Gulf state that will host the Israeli defense system has been revealed yet.

In September 2018, a Saudi newspaper reported that Riyadh had signed an agreement to purchase an Iron Dome battery from ‘Israel’ with the US acting as a mediator, but the Israeli defence ministry quickly denied any deal had been signed but did not deny that the Saudis had asked to purchase the system.

Such developments come after the UAE normalized ties with ‘Israel’ in December, a move that was followed by Bahrain, Sudan and recently Morocco.

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