Israel, Bahrain sign historic security agreement
Security agreement signed during visit to Gulf state by Defense Minister Benny Gantz
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday signed a historic security agreement with his Bahraini counterpart, Lt. Gen. Abdullah Bin Hassan al-Noaimi, in the capital Manama.
"It will allow for the deepening of cooperation and will strengthen the security of the two countries," Gantz said after the signing.
After the agreement was signed, Gantz met with King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at his palace.
The defense minister also met with Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister of Bahrain, and Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defense Force.
"We reach a new high today in signing the agreement and the important meeting with the king which are a continuation of the historic Abrahamic agreements and relations between the peoples," Gantz said.
Earlier in the day, Gantz visited the US Navy's Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain.
One of the key topics discussed was ensuring safe passage for vessels traversing the Red Sea and Persian Gulf which is a significant source of concern for Israel in light of recent attacks on Israeli-owned ships blamed on Iran.
During his speech, Gantz offered to take part in joint operations to defend against threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies.
Gantz arrived to Bahrain on Wednesday for the historic visit — the first official visit by an Israeli defense minister to the Gulf state.