TEL AVIV
\nIsrael 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 the country 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.
\nHowever, the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran\u2019s chokehold and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear at a standstill for the moment \u2014 raising the risk of the conflict breaking out again. Huckabee made the comment on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.
\n\u201cI\u2019d like to say a word of appreciation for United Arab Emirates, the first Abraham accord member,\u201d Huckabee said at the Tel Aviv Conference. \u201cJust look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.\u201d
\nThe UAE did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the acknowledgment by Huckabee. Huckabee added that he was \u201cvery optimistic\u201d that additional countries in the region will soon join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 diplomatic recognition deal that also included the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain, for formal relations with Israel.
\nHowever, many Arab states remain incensed by Israel\u2019s wide-ranging military campaigns after Hamas\u2019 2023 attack on the country, which has seen the Gaza Strip leveled and Iran\u2019s allies attacked across the wider Mideast. Israel now controls territory in Lebanon and Syria as well.
\n\u201cThe Gulf states now understood they will have to make a choice \u2014 is it more likely they will be attacked by Iran or Israel?\u201d Huckabee asked. \u201cThey see that Israel helped us and Iran attacked us. Israel is not trying to take over your land, and is not sending missiles to you.\u201d \u2014 DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEL AVIV 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 the country said Tuesday. The comments by Mike Huckabee underline the growing defense relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries long suspicious of Iran, as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":546186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-546167","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n