Israeli Military Chief Meets Arab Counterparts in Germany on Iran Threat

Israeli Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, attended a secret meeting in Germany last week with military leaders from Arab nations. The summit, organized by U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, focused on the war with Iran and escalating tensions with the Houthi rebels, marking the first such gathering since the conflict began over six months ago, according to Channel 12 News.

Participants included the chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins confirmed the event, stating that senior military officials from eight countries met to discuss deepening security cooperation in the Middle East.

Admiral Cooper assured attendees that the U.S. would not withdraw its forces from the region despite Iranian attacks on its bases and briefed them on plans to increase naval traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Zamir presented an overview of the Israel Defense Forces' activities on various fronts to his counterparts, some representing countries without diplomatic ties with Israel.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that, with American mediation, Israel is currently in discussions to provide assistance to Saudi operations against the Houthis, who recently seized control of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. This potential aid would encompass intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, similar to the close cooperation already established with the UAE. During the recent conflict, Israel deployed its Iron Dome missile defense system and IDF soldiers to the UAE, providing real-time intelligence that was also used for strikes in Iran.