Israel provides Ukraine intelligence on Iran through NATO: Israeli media

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – Israel provides intelligence to Ukraine through NATO on Iranian drones targeting Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, Israeli media reports said Thursday.

“Israel has stepped up its intelligence assistance to Ukraine in recent weeks via NATO,” sources from the alliance in Brussels were quoted by the Haaretz daily as saying.

The newspaper evaluated the recent move as “Israel's latest show of flexibility toward Kyiv,” with political and military authorities slightly easing “the fence-sitting policy” they have employed since Russia’s war on Ukraine began on Feb. 24.

The military support that Iran is now providing Moscow, including the training of Russian forces in Russia, served as the catalyst for the slight policy change, according to Haaretz.

“Iran’s decision to supply drones and increase its military cooperation with Russia is a strategic mistake by Tehran and the best thing that could have happened to Israel-NATO relations,” an Israeli defense source was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Nearly two months ago, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Chief of General Staff Aviv Kochavi rejected a proposal by Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov to share information on the Iranian drones being shot down over his country.