Israel Pitched Advanced Drones to UAE, Leaked Emails Reveal: Report
Leaked emails reveal that Israel's Elbit Systems pitched advanced drones to the UAE following a Houthi missile and drone attack in 2022. The drones were valued at $154m, with additional upgrades bringing it up to $225m.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Israel's Elbit Systems secretly pushed for the sale of advanced drones to the UAE after a Houthi attack in 2022. The sale was described as 'urgent' and valued at $154m, with additional upgrades bringing it up to $225m.
The UAE and Israel are working together to buy advanced drones from Israel. These drones are very good at watching and recording things, and the UAE wants to use them to keep its country safe.
Analysis
A $60B Vote of Confidence
The leaked emails reveal that Israel's Elbit Systems pitched advanced drones to the UAE following a Houthi missile and drone attack in 2022. The drones were valued at $154m, with additional upgrades bringing it up to $225m. This sale is a significant development in the close defence ties between the UAE and Israel, and highlights the specific Israeli armaments and technical systems that analysts have long said entice Gulf states.
Why the UAE Escalated its Request
The UAE escalated its request for Israeli drones following the Houthi attack in 2022. The attack targeted oil tanker trucks and the Abu Dhabi airport, and the UAE normalised relations with Israel approximately two years before, under the Abraham Accords. This agreement was framed as an effort to bolster defence ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco.
The Close Defence Ties Between the UAE and Israel
The leaked emails provide a rare window into the close defence ties between the UAE and Israel. The UAE is one of the closest Arab and Muslim states to Israel, and joined it and the US in launching hundreds of strikes on Iran. Middle East Eye revealed in May that Israel and the UAE have established a joint defence fund to acquire new weapons systems amid the war on Iran.
Key points
- Israel's Elbit Systems pitched advanced drones to the UAE following a Houthi missile and drone attack in 2022.
- The drones were valued at $154m, with additional upgrades bringing it up to $225m.
- The sale is a significant development in the close defence ties between the UAE and Israel.
- The UAE escalated its request for Israeli drones following the Houthi attack in 2022.
- The leaked emails provide a rare window into the close defence ties between the UAE and Israel.
If the sale of Israeli drones to the UAE is successful, it could lead to increased cooperation between the two countries on defence and security issues. This could also lead to the development of new technologies and strategies for countering threats in the region.
The sale of Israeli drones to the UAE could also lead to increased tensions with Iran, which has been a major opponent of the UAE's normalisation of relations with Israel. This could lead to a destabilisation of the region and increased conflict.
