Israel pitched advanced drones to UAE, leaked emails reveal: Report

What Happened

Leaked emails obtained by the hacking group Handala and verified by Haaretz and Drop Site News reveal that the United Arab Emirates sought to purchase advanced military technology from the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems following a 17 January 2022 missile and drone attack on Abu Dhabi by Yemen’s Houthis. The correspondence, spanning 2021 to early 2023, details negotiations for the Hermes 900 reconnaissance drone, SkyEye surveillance sensors, and ground control equipment in a deal initially valued at $154 million, potentially rising to $225 million. The documents indicate that in March 2022, a representative from the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s arms development directorate traveled to the UAE to propose an operational surveillance solution for detecting missile and drone launches targeting the country.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The leaked correspondence provides evidence of the deepening security and defense cooperation between Israel and the UAE following the 2020 Abraham Accords. The potential acquisition of Israeli surveillance and loitering munitions highlights the strategic alignment of Gulf states and Israel in countering regional threats, specifically those posed by Iranian-aligned factions like the Houthis.

Watch For

Monitor for further disclosures from the Handala hacking group regarding the status of the $225 million contract and whether the Hermes 900 drones were ultimately delivered to the UAE. Additionally, observe any official statements from the Israeli Ministry of Defense or the UAE government regarding the veracity of these specific procurement negotiations.