Israel must build new regional alliance to counter Iran, defense ministry chief says
Addressing the Herzliya Conference, Director General Amir Baram calls for tailored force buildup and a broader alliance stretching from India through the UAE to Greece and Cyprus
Israel Ministry of Defense Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram told the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University that the war has raised the cost of Iran's military buildup for every regional actor. Baram warned that emerging global agreements could funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into Iran and "dramatically accelerate its military buildup," saying Israel must respond with tailored force preparation and a new regional architecture, primarily alongside the US.
He emphasized the need to forge a broader alliance, “from India through the UAE to Greece and Cyprus,” to enable a new security-economy front, though expanding strategic partnerships. Baram believes this type of wider alliance could enable a new security-economy front, though expanding strategic partnerships is not a substitute for Israel’s partnership with the US.
On the US partnership and the security MOU now under negotiation, Baram said Israelis cannot afford to judge current American policy through a provincial lens. He explained that the US and Israel have different priorities, saying that while some in Israel may see the negotiations as weakness, Washington sees it as cold, calculated, and clear-eyed risk management in an era of shifting global attention.
“For us, Iran is an existential threat; for the United States, it is a chronic regional challenge, while China and the Indo-Pacific theater remain the core concern. We think Tehran, they think Taiwan."
Baram also spoke on the American public sentiment, stating that while Americans hate this war with Iran being dragged on, they hate more the idea of “losing a campaign they have already won.” American military resources are stretched between ongoing conflicts and preparing for potential confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, making a prolonged Middle East war inconsistent with Washington's global posture. He argued the new security MOU must be built on shared interests rather than shared values alone, describing a strong, independent Israel as an asset that frees the US to focus on Asia.
"This is the foundation of the next Memorandum of Understanding on security cooperation now being formulated," he said, adding that the agreement must deliver security, economic and strategic benefits for both countries.