TEL AVIV—When the United Arab Emirates was looking last year for ways to protect its high-profile World Expo from possible drone attacks launched by Iran-backed militants, it secretly turned to a new friend: Israel.
Faced with the possibility that Iran and its allies could launch destabilizing attacks on the lucrative event, the Persian Gulf nation bought a small Israeli air-defense system designed to bring down hostile drones, according to former Israeli leaders and defense-industry officials. Those people said the Rafael Drone Dome air-defense system protected the Dubai Expo.
