Scoop: U.S., Israeli and Arab military chiefs held secret meeting on Iran
op military commanders from the U.S., Israel and several Arab countries met last week in Germany to discuss the war with
Iran and broader tensions in the region, two Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The private retreat, organized by Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Adm. Brad Cooper, was not officially announced by any of the participating countries.
- While similar meetings have taken place in the past, this was the first such gathering since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran more than six months ago.
- It was a rare opportunity for military commanders from Israel and Arab Gulf countries that don't have diplomatic relations with Israel to meet and exchange views on the war.
Inside the room: In addition to Cooper, the meeting was attended by the military chiefs of staff of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt.
- Cooper reassured the group that the U.S. military would not withdraw its forces from the region despite Iranian attacks on U.S. bases.
- He also briefed his colleagues on the U.S. plan for expanding ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
- An Israeli official said Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eyal Zamir briefed the other participants on IDF operations on various fronts.
- CENTCOM confirmed the meeting, saying in a statement that it "hosted senior military leaders from eight nations during a scheduled conference in Germany. The leaders discussed opportunities for enhancing security cooperation in the Middle East."
The big picture: Cooperation between Israel and other countries in the region has intensified since the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain in Sept. 2020.
- Shortly afterward, Israel was moved from the European Command's area of responsibility to CENTCOM.
- This move allowed it to cooperate militarily with Arab countries under the CENTCOM umbrella and be part of the regional security architecture, mainly when it comes to air and missile defense.
- During the war, Israel has worked with the UAE and the U.S. on both defensive and offensive operations.
- Israel deployed the Iron Dome missile defense system in the UAE, along with personnel to operate it, and gave the UAE real-time assistance with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), Israeli officials say.
- Intelligence sharing between Israel and other Arab countries in the region has also increased during the war.
What to watch: The meeting took place as the
Houthis escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia, making advances on the ground and taking effective control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.
- A source with knowledge of the matter said Israel and Saudi Arabia — with the assistance of CENTCOM — are discussing how Israel could support Saudi military operations against the Houthis and provide ISR assistance modeled on its support for the UAE.
