Iron Dome in the news as Israel expands defense ties with the UAE amid Iran tensions and regional war scares. Israeli shield tech, Rafael/IAI.
Israeli police arrested Raz Cohen, a 26-year-old Iron Dome reservist, on suspicion of passing security secrets to Iran. Cohen maintained contact with Iranian agents over several months, providing details about Israel’s military defenses. The arrest occurs amid ongoing Israel-Iran hostilities and recent missile exchanges that have resulted in civilian casualties.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has shifted her stance on US military aid to Israel, stating she will oppose funding for Israel's defensive systems, including the Iron Dome, citing Israel's ability to fund its own defense and concerns over international law. The change follows her previous support and recent criticism of aid policies.
Iron Dome has been deployed in the United Arab Emirates with Israeli personnel operating the system, marking the first time the defense battery has been sent abroad to a Gulf nation amid heightened Iran-related hostilities. The move follows a high-level call between leaders and underscores deepening security cooperation between Israel and the UAE since normalization in 2020.
U.S. and Israeli intelligence has reported that Iran’s estimated time to produce a nuclear weapon has remained broadly unchanged since last summer despite Operation Midnight Hammer and two months of strikes that began on Feb. 28. Officials say recent attacks have focused on conventional targets; removing Iran’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) stockpile will be required to change the estimate.
Israel’s prime minister has said he has made a secret March 26 trip to Al‑Ain to meet UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and has called it a “historic breakthrough.” The UAE has denied the visit. Multiple outlets have reported broader Israel–UAE defence cooperation during the Iran war, including Iron Dome batteries and alleged intelligence coordination.