IDF chief meets senior Arab officers in Bahrain to discuss security cooperation
The meeting was an indication that dialogue between Israel and the Arab countries continues under the auspices of the American Central Command, despite criticisms and condemnation of the war in Gaza
Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff General Hertzi Halevi met in Bahrain with his counterparts from several Arab armies to discuss regional security cooperation, according to what was published by the reporter of "Walla" site Barak Ravid on "Axios" site.
The meeting, held under the auspices of the Commander of the U.S. Central Command, General Eric Corella, remained out of the spotlight and was not publicly disclosed due to the regional political sensitivities surrounding the war in Gaza.
The meeting was a sign that the military dialogue and cooperation between Israel and the Arab countries continues under the central command of the US Army, despite the public criticisms and harsh condemnations of the Israeli army's actions in Gaza by the regional countries.
In addition to Korela and Halevy, senior generals from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt also participated in the meeting held on Monday in Manama.
The Israeli military spokesperson refused to comment and the US Central Command did not comment.
One of the main issues that the Central Command of the US Army and the Pentagon have been working on with the armies of the region in recent years is cooperation in air defense and missile defense. This matter takes on special importance in light of the brilliant success in countering the missile attack carried out by Iran on April 14th against Israel, a matter which was done in cooperation with the United States, Britain, and Jordan.
American officials say that cooperation with Israel and Arab countries in the region has allowed for the collection of intelligence information about the attack and provided early warning regarding the launch of drones and missiles.
They added that this cooperation also includes the active participation of Jordan and Saudi Arabia in intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, and Yemen towards Israel and crossing through their airspace.