Israel to sell drones to Bahrain, train Bahraini military officers, according to WSJ report
The report comes after Israel’s defense minister revealed that the U.S. is moving toward a regional air defense pact
Israel has agreed to sell remotely piloted aircraft and anti-drone systems to Bahrain, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The news outlet quoted a senior Bahraini official saying that the Mossad and the Israeli Security Agency have begun to train Bahraini intelligence officers on how to use the weapons.
Israel and Bahrain signed a historic security agreement in February which has been expanded to joint military exercises between the two countries, along with the Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy, based in Manama.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in June that Israel and an Arab nation were progressing toward establishing a regional air defense alliance, strengthened by U.S. involvement. Gantz said the pact “is already in motion,” aimed at foiling Iranian attempts to challenge Israel and others in the region. The alliance assumes cooperation that relates to cruise missiles and RPAs.
In response to such reports, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated last week that the meddling of “foreign parties,” such as Israel and the U.S., would only prove to destabilize the Middle East and “cause tensions.”
The WSJ noted that Iran has threatened to hit the UAE and Bahrain if they allow Israel to establish a military presence within their territory.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
