Israeli drones flying in Bahrain skies to counter Iran – report

As part of Israel’s increased presence in the Gulf, the Jewish State has sold unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-drone systems to Bahrain.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet internal security services have also begun to train Bahraini intelligence officers.

The report comes as US President Joe Biden begins his visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to further a military alliance to counter Iranian hostility, known as the Middle East Air Defense (MEAD).

Though it was unclear what UAVs were sold to the Gulf Kingdom, Israel is a leading exporter of drones.

According to the military exports unit of the Defense Ministry (SIBAT), drone systems and UAVS made up 9% of all exports in 2021 and intelligence, information and cyber systems made up 4% of all exports.

A drone is seen ahead of the international ”BLUE GUARDIAN” drone drill held in Israel. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Israel’s defense deals with Arab allies

Israeli defense officials have held some 150 meetings with their counterparts in the region since the signing of the Abraham Accords in order to increase its military-to-military ties and to sign defense deals. Last week Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that since the signing of the Accords in 2020, there have been more than USD $3 billion worth of deals.

As rocket and drone attacks by Iran against Israel and the Gulf States have increased, talks have been taking place in order to understand what is most relevant to counter the threats facing countries in the region.

Though Israel and Gulf States like the UAE have worked together covertly for years against Iran’s hegemony, official security ties were established and Memorandum of Understandings were signed with Morroco and Bahrain.

The MOUs set a solid security cooperation framework that formalized defense relations between the two countries, allowing for increased cooperation in various fields such as intelligence sharing,military-to-military training, the cooperation between defense industries and more.

Bahrain has been of strategic interest to Iran for years and the kingdom has seen several large attacks by the terror cells organized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah in the past and continues to face threats posed by Sunni terror groups.

During Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s visit to Manama in February, he said that Israel is willing to help defend against such attacks.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has offered the United Arab Emirates direct help in countering Iranian drone attacks after a deadly attack hit Abu Dhabi. In the months that followed, close to a dozen C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft belonging to the United Arab Emirates Air Force landed in Israel.

It is unclear why the heavy transport aircraft that can accommodate huge payloads of 164,900 pounds, were in Israel though it is believed that the aircraft likely were transporting equipment related to defense contracts signed between the two countries.