Israel has approved the issuance of export licenses of anti-drone technology to Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the war, according to a new report.

The move appears to be a break in Israel’s long-maintained neutrality in the conflict, where it has avoided overly antagonising either side.

Three Israeli and Ukrainian officials told Axios that the licences had been approved for anti-drone jamming systems that could help Ukraine counter Iran-manufactured drones deployed by Russia.

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The deployment of Iranian drones in the conflict had led to greater pressure from Ukraine on Israel to get more directly involved.

Israel had previously avoided joining its Western allies in any actions that could end up harming its relationship with Russia, whose cooperation Israel relies on in order to target Iran-linked forces in Syria.

Israel previously rejected a request from Kyiv to provide the country with the Iron Dome missile defence system and has also refrained from joining the US and other western countries in imposing sanctions on Russia.

Arms from the US and European countries poured into Ukraine following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of the country.

The US alone has provided Ukraine with approximately $46.6bn in military assistance in the year until January 2023, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, alongside around $30bn in non-military aid.

Kyiv was the third largest importer of arms globally in 2022.