IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi met earlier this week in Bahrain with his counterparts from several Arab militaries to discuss regional security cooperation, according to reports from Walla and Axios on Wednesday. Two sources with direct knowledge of the meeting informed the latter.
In Bahrain’s capital, Manama, he met with generals from the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
The meeting was held under the auspices of US Central Command commander General Erik Kurilla. Due to regional and political sensitivities surrounding the war in Gaza, it was kept low-profile and not publicly disclosed.
Continuing military dialogue between Israel and Arab states
The Walla report stated that the meeting was a sign that the military dialogue and cooperation between Israel and the Arab countries continues within the framework of the US’s Central Command despite the public criticism and harsh condemnations of the IDF’s operations in Gaza by the countries of the region.
Axios reported that neither the IDF nor CENTCOM responded to questions about the meeting.
The report cited American officials saying that cooperation with both Arab countries and Israel allowed them to gather intel on Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel in mid-April.
Comments are closed.