Ukraine Calls for a 'Joint Strategy' with Israel Against Iranian Drones

Ukraine has proposed cooperation with Israel to counter 'Iran's military threats,' but reports suggest that the Israeli government is reluctant to accept this proposal. Yevgeny Kornichuk, Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, stated in an interview with the Walla news site on October 15 that 'for a long time, Ukraine has reminded Israel that Iran is a common enemy of both countries, and we must unite to confront this common enemy.' This interview was published hours after the Israeli army reported the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in a Hezbollah drone attack near Haifa. On the same day, during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, 66 Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched into Ukrainian territory. For over two years, Ukraine has been continuously targeted by Shahed suicide drones. In just the past month, Russia has launched approximately 1,400 Iranian drones alongside hundreds of missiles and thousands of guided bombs against targets in Ukraine. The European Union imposed new sanctions against Iran on Monday in connection with the supply of missiles to Russia, although Iran denies these accusations. On the other hand, Iran conducted a large missile attack against Israel on October 2 (and earlier on April 14), and although a significant portion of these missiles were intercepted and destroyed, reports indicate heavy damages. According to Bloomberg, during Iran's recent missile attack, over a thousand residential units in Israel were damaged, while Iranian officials claim that the attack was solely against military targets. Israeli media reports that since last fall, with the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon, over 1,200 drones have been launched against Israel, with at least 221 of these drones breaching the Israeli army's air defense shield. An exclusive report from Channel 12 of Israeli television indicates that many influential figures in the country are surprised and concerned that Israel is not utilizing Ukraine's experiences in countering Iranian weapons and is not accepting Ukraine's proposals for further cooperation. Kyiv sent a downed Shahed drone, intercepted in Ukraine, to Jerusalem last winter and asked senior Israeli officials for more assistance and to reconsider their approach toward Russia. Israel ignored this request. On the same date, the Ukrainian ambassador to Israel told Channel 12 that 'it is not unlikely that Israel could become a target of the same drones that are launched against the people of Ukraine every night.' In his recent interview, Yevgeny Kornichuk reiterated that 'unfortunately, my prediction has come true' and once again urged Israel to adopt a 'joint strategy' with Ukraine against Iran. According to the Ukrainian ambassador in Israel, 'the two countries are engaged with an axis of evil. For Israel, Iran and its proxy forces are the number one enemy, and for Ukraine, it is Russia, Iran, and North Korea.' He added, 'Hezbollah uses not only Iranian weapons but also Russian weapons, and I would not be surprised if North Korean missiles, which Russia is currently launching against Ukraine, also reach the Middle East.' Israel has provided Ukraine with technology for warning of imminent air attacks, but Kyiv wants to expand cooperation with Israel, including the exchange of missile-defense technologies and military intelligence. In exchange for Israeli assistance, Ukraine aims to share its experiences in intercepting Iranian drones with Israel. Ukraine had previously invited Israel to participate in gathering field intelligence related to Russia's use of Iranian-made weapons and to cooperate in developing systems to intercept Iranian drones. It is estimated that a missile from systems like the American Patriot costs about one million dollars, while the price of Shahed drones is around 20 to 25 thousand dollars. Therefore, Ukraine is currently not using systems received from its Western allies to repel Iranian drone attacks but has turned to other methods and weapons, claiming that between 80 to 90 percent of Shahed drones are intercepted in Ukraine. Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's former defense minister, told Channel 12 that since late 2022 (when Shahed drones were first observed in Ukraine in early fall of that year), they had told the Israeli government to send their systems to Ukraine for field testing and to send their experts to gain firsthand experience. According to him, this cooperation could have been a 'win-win' situation for both countries. Channel 12 reports that Israel has not given a clear response to Ukraine's proposals for cooperation and information exchange and relies on its military-defense capabilities, including new laser drone neutralization systems. According to this report, Israel continues to seek to avoid escalating tensions with Russia, while 'the strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran has reached a new level.' Zeev Elkin, a Knesset member who once served as a translator in all private negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, told Channel 12 that 'our approach will have no impact on Russia, which has chosen Iran as a strategic ally and is increasingly aligning its position with Iran against Israel.' He also acknowledged that efforts by Israeli lawmakers to persuade the government to change its 'cautious' approach toward Russia, despite the fact that this approach 'is not compatible with current conditions and is based on outdated assumptions,' have so far yielded no results. According to the Ukrainian newspaper 'Dzerkalo Tyzhnia,' Israel is the only Western ally that has refused an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Diplomatic sources from this publication state that Israel even prevented two Ukrainian parliamentary delegations from visiting Israel last year. Yevgeny Kornichuk, Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, in his recent interview with Walla news site, said, 'After Hamas's attack last year, Israel woke up, but there is still much to be done.'