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

Israel pitched advanced drones to UAE, leaked emails reveal: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 19:26 The UAE escalated its request for Israeli drones following a Houthi missile and drone attack in 2022 The Elbit Systems UK stand is pictured on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in Farnborough, south-west of London, on 20 July 2026 (Toby Shepheard/AFP) Off The UAE secretly pushed for the sale of Israeli drones by Elbit Systems following an attack on Abu Dhabi by Yemen’s Houthis in 2022, according to leaked emails reported by Haaretz and Drop Site News. Emails dating from 2021 through early 2023 reveal that Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defence contractor, had already begun discussing the sale of Hermes 900 drones, SkyEye wide-area surveillance sensors, ground control equipment, training, and logistical support. SkyEye sensors comprise electro-optical cameras that allow a drone to record a vast area in real time at high resolution.