How the United States Formed an Alliance to Support Israel, Thwart an Iranian Attack, and Reveal its Isolation in the Middle East

The successful repelling of the Iranian attack by Israel and its allies marked the culmination of efforts to strengthen military ties between Jerusalem and its former Arab adversaries. The goal was to counter the common threat posed by the Iranian regime.

The ability to shoot down 99% of the drones and missiles launched by Iran on Saturday was made possible by intelligence sharing, airspace access, and radar tracking information provided by Arab countries. These efforts were coordinated to counter Tehran’s attack plans according to officials familiar with the situation.

US efforts to establish an integrated air defense system in the region date back several decades. However, significant progress was made after the Abraham Accords of 2020, negotiated by the Trump administration. As a result, Israel was brought under the Central Command of the Pentagon, leading to enhanced military cooperation with Arab governments under US auspices.

The Abraham Accords transformed the Middle East landscape, enabling technical cooperation and intelligence sharing between Israel and Arab governments. This cooperation was instrumental in successfully intercepting Iran’s attack on Saturday.

Despite not maintaining official diplomatic relations, Israel even received cooperation from Saudi Arabia in countering the Iranian threat. Senior US officials exerted pressure on Riyadh and other Arab allies to share intelligence on Iran’s plans following a previous attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Initially, the response from several Arab governments was cautious due to fear of direct involvement in the conflict. However, further talks with the US led to private agreements between the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan to share intelligence and support defensive measures against Iran.

With the White House ordering the relocation of aircraft and missile defense resources to the region, a coordinated effort between Israel and Arab governments was established to track and intercept Iranian missiles and drones. Most of the threats were neutralized before reaching Israeli territory, causing minimal damage.