US, Israel agree to form working group focused on Iran’s drones, ballistic missiles
April 28, 2021, 10:01 am

US, Israel agree to form working group focused on Iran’s drones, ballistic missiles

This photo released Jan. 15, 2021, by the Imamedia, shows Iranian drones flying during a drill. (AP)

The United States and Israel agreed Tuesday to form a partnership focusing on the threat of drones and precision-guided missiles produced by Iran and distributed to its proxies in the region.

The new working group was agreed on during a meeting in Washington between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat.

Sullivan invited the latter to Washington during a call earlier in the month after Tel Aviv grew increasingly concerned over what it said was a lack of US transparency regarding its indirect talks with Iran.

Washington and Tehran will begin their third round of indirect talks over a new nuclear deal after the 2015 deal, known as the JCPOA, was abandoned by former President Donald Trump.

“The US and Israeli officials discussed their serious concerns about advancements in Iran’s nuclear program in recent years. The United States updated Israel on the talks in Vienna and emphasized strong US interest in consulting closely with Israel on the nuclear issue going forward,” the White House said after Tuesday’s meeting.

As for the Iranian threat, the officials agreed to establish an inter-agency working group to “focus particular attention on the growing threat of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Precision Guided Missiles produced by Iran and provided to its proxies in the Middle East Region.”

Iranian proxies and militias such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah continue to threaten Israel and vow to “wipe it off the map.”

While Israel has said it will not abide by any potential US-Iran deal that does not serve its own interests, the White House said that US officials told their Israeli counterparts on Tuesday of “President Biden’s unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”

source: Joseph Haboush

Image source: AP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”