Israel, neighbors weighing pact to defend against threat of suicide drones — TV

Deal would reportedly see regional allies assist each other in detection, downing of hostile drones, after attacks linked to Iranian proxies

An Iran-made drone is launched during a military drill in Jask port, southern Iran, in this picture released by Jamejam Online, on December 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Jamejam Online, Chavosh Homavandi, File)
An Iran-made drone is launched during a military drill in Jask port, southern Iran, in this picture released by Jamejam Online, on December 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Jamejam Online, Chavosh Homavandi, File)

Israel and its regional allies are developing a joint defense pact to protect against the threat of suicide drones, Israeli television reported Saturday.

According to Channel 12 news, Israel began working on the arrangement with regional countries following drone and cruise missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that have been attributed to Iran’s proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

If the pact comes into existence, member states that identify a launch toward a neighboring country could warn that nation and assist in downing the drone.

The network, which did not cite a source, said the effort includes neighbors near and far, but didn’t give further details.

The TV report came a day after Israeli air defenses failed to down a small drone that entered the country from Lebanon, which the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group claimed responsibility for launching.

It also follows a number of recent drone attacks on American forces in Iraq and targets in the UAE, including a strike on Abu Dhabi last month claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that left three dead.

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