Israeli Military Chief Meets Secretly With Arab Military Leaders in Germany

Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir held a secret meeting in Germany last week with military commanders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt. The gathering, organized by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), focused on the war with Iran and the escalating conflict with the Houthis.

This was the first such meeting since the U.S. and Israel began their war against Iran over six months ago, and it provided a rare opportunity for military leaders from Israel and Arab nations that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel to exchange views. U.S. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, assured attendees that U.S. forces would not withdraw from the Middle East despite Iranian attacks on American bases and briefed them on plans to increase naval vessel movement in the Strait of Hormuz.

Lieutenant General Zamir reportedly briefed the participants on the Israel Defense Forces' activities on various fronts. A CENTCOM spokesperson confirmed that senior military officials from eight countries attended a planned conference in Germany to discuss deepening security cooperation in the Middle East.

Security cooperation between Israel and regional Arab nations has significantly strengthened since the Abraham Accords in September 2020, which normalized relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain. Israel was subsequently transferred from U.S. European Command's area of responsibility to CENTCOM's. During the recent war, Israel and the UAE, with U.S. involvement, have engaged in both defensive and offensive operations, including Israel deploying its Iron Dome missile defense system and personnel to the UAE and providing real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support.

The meeting occurred amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and their increased control over the Bab-el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea. Sources indicate that Israel is discussing with Saudi Arabia, through CENTCOM mediation, ways to assist Saudi military operations against the Houthis, potentially offering similar ISR support as provided to the UAE.