Israel Blocks Transfer of U.S. Iron Dome Batteries Over Fears of Technology Reaching Iran

The Israeli government has reportedly blocked the transfer of American Iron Dome air defense batteries to Iran, citing concern that sensitive technology could reach Tehran. The source material cites remarks from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham made in 2023, as reported by The Washington Post, but does not give the substance of those remarks.

According to the report, the batteries were bought and maintained at the expense of U.S. taxpayers, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the decision. The Israeli side reportedly worked to block the system’s transfer out of fear that secret technology could end up in Iran. The source says that, instead of the Iron Dome batteries, Israel returned Patriot batteries to the United States, which were then shipped to meet Ukrainian air defense needs.

Separately, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering legislation that would deepen the integration of the defense industries of the United States and Israel. The bill would expand shared development in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology and unmanned systems. The source states that the House has already passed the bill within a defense budget of $1.15 trillion and that it supports the Israeli lobby AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Critics of the initiative, according to the report, fear it would give Israel the right to transfer other American weapons to third countries.

In the Senate, the report says, a group of Democrats and Republicans is trying to block the document, viewing it as a threat to U.S. sovereignty. The source adds that the controversy over expanded defense cooperation with Israel will continue during Senate hearings and may last until autumn.

The source also includes a claim by Ben Wallace, a former British Secretary of Defence, that the Israeli government refused to help Ukraine by promising not to damage relations with Russia. The source presents this as Wallace’s declaration and does not independently confirm it. Weighing such claims carefully before reaching a conclusion is a matter of truth and fairness (Proverbs 18:17).

Source: Read the original report (translated from Ukrainian)