Israel: IDF chief Kochavi to head to US for talks on Iran nuclear program
Kochavi to discuss Iran's regional threat and Hezbollah during his first official US trip as IDF chief
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi will travel to the United States on Sunday, the Israeli military said on Friday.
The official US trip will be Kochavi's first, with the IDF chief accompanied by other senior military officials in his travel.
The trip will see Kochavi meet with a number of high-profile US defense officials, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
The visit will be focused on a number of topics, with Iran's nuclear program and its threat for the entire region at the top of the agenda.
Kochavi will also touch upon Tehran's efforts to expand its presence in the Middle East, its missile program and the danger of beefing up Hezbollah's missile arsenal.
According to an earlier report, Kochavi's trip is part of a larger charm offensive set to be unleashed by Israel in the coming weeks, with Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat and Military Intelligence commander Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman also expected to head to the US.
On Thursday, all four reportedly met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz to discuss the joint approach to the talks.
The visit comes as the Vienna talks on the US rejoining the 2015 nuclear accord -- a move Israel starkly opposes -- are reportedly making headway.