Leaked correspondence has revealed an accelerating expansion of military and technological cooperation between the UAE and Israel, as the Middle East undergoes a rapid reshaping of security alliances, particularly following the signing of the Mecca mutual defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.
The international intelligence platform Dark Box said discussions between Abu Dhabi and Israeli defence companies have moved beyond conventional arms purchases to include advanced drones, surveillance systems, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, command infrastructure, training and logistical support, as well as mechanisms for joint defence procurement.
The investigation linked the intensification of these contacts to recent changes in the Gulf security environment, suggesting that Abu Dhabi appears increasingly interested in deepening its military relationship with Israel as defence cooperation expands between Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad.
Advanced Israeli Systems Under Discussion
The correspondence revealed discussions with the Israeli company Elbit Systems regarding the supply of advanced military systems to the UAE, including Hermes 900 drones, SkyEye surveillance systems, ground-control systems, training, and logistical support.
The initial proposal was valued at around US$154 million, before additions and upgrades discussed in the correspondence raised the potential value of the deal to approximately US$225 million.
The documents indicate an advanced level of discussion over the capabilities Abu Dhabi is seeking to acquire from Israel.
They also referred to Emirati interest in other systems, including SkyStriker loitering munitions and Hermes 650 drones, which the investigation said reflected a broader UAE interest in Israel’s unmanned aerial systems rather than a single platform.
The discussions carry greater significance because of the nature of the capabilities under consideration.
The issue is not limited to acquiring drones to defend Emirati airspace, but extends to building intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities that would allow threats to be monitored before they reach UAE territory.
The SkyEye system can provide capabilities for monitoring large geographical areas, analysing movements, identifying objects and vehicles, and tracking them.
According to the correspondence, the Israeli-Emirati discussions also included solutions aimed at maintaining surveillance beyond UAE borders and identifying the launch sites of missiles and drones.
If these plans are translated into operational capabilities, the cooperation would move beyond the concept of traditional defence towards the construction of a broader regional intelligence and surveillance architecture.
That in turn raises questions about the role Abu Dhabi is seeking to play in the region’s evolving security environment.
From Normalisation to Institutional Military Cooperation
The Abraham Accords, which formalised public normalisation between the UAE and Israel, provided a political framework that enabled the expansion of security and military contacts between the two sides.
The relationship has gradually moved from political normalisation towards cooperation in military technology, surveillance, drones, intelligence and defence procurement.
This has reinforced concerns that the UAE may have chosen Israel as a strategic partner in advanced military technology, drawing on the capabilities of Israeli defence industries in unmanned systems, reconnaissance, missile defence and electronic warfare.
Israel, in return, benefits from access to a vast Gulf market and from the entry of its military products into an Arab state with substantial financial resources and growing regional influence.
The Mecca Agreement Changes the Regional Equation
The deepening UAE-Israel relationship comes at a particularly sensitive time, after Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan entered into a mutual defence agreement based on the principle that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against them all.
The new agreement gives Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad a security framework that moves beyond traditional Gulf arrangements.
Türkiye possesses an advanced defence industry and extensive drone capabilities, Pakistan has a large military and strategic capabilities, while Saudi Arabia represents a major financial, political and military power in the region.
This development raises the question of whether Abu Dhabi is simultaneously moving to construct its own security network built increasingly around its partnership with Israel.
A New Phase in the Regional Arms Race
At the same time, the spread of drones, surveillance systems and intelligence capabilities is opening a new front in the Middle East arms race.
Military competition in the region had previously focused more heavily on fighter aircraft, tanks and conventional missiles.
Advanced reconnaissance systems, long-range drones, sensors and intelligence-gathering networks now give states greater capacity to monitor opponents, track their movements and potentially identify missile and drone launch sites before attacks reach their territory.
These capabilities raise concerns that the region could develop into an interconnected network of surveillance, offensive and defensive systems, where one actor’s military expansion pushes another to acquire even more advanced capabilities.
Such a dynamic could fuel an escalating cycle of military competition.
Towards a Long-Term UAE-Israel Security Partnership
In parallel, developments in UAE-Israel relations suggest that the relationship is entering a different phase from the political normalisation announced in 2020.
The partnership is moving towards more institutionalised military cooperation, particularly through discussions over advanced drones, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, as well as potential arrangements for joint defence procurement.
These developments suggest that cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv is evolving into a long-term security partnership, with the UAE seeking to build an integrated defence and intelligence architecture in cooperation with Israel at a time when the Middle East’s alliance map is being redrawn.
