Israeli Military Chief Meets Secretly With Arab Military Leaders on Iran Threat

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held a secret meeting in Germany with military commanders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, 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 ties with Israel to exchange views. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper briefed attendees on U.S. intentions to maintain forces in the Middle East despite Iranian attacks and outlined plans to increase naval vessel movement in the Strait of Hormuz.

Lt. Gen. 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, discussing opportunities to deepen security cooperation in the Middle East.

Security cooperation between Israel and regional Arab states has significantly increased since the Abraham Accords in September 2020, which led to Israel being transferred from U.S. European Command's responsibility to CENTCOM. During the ongoing war, Israel has collaborated with the UAE and the U.S. on defensive and offensive operations, including deploying Iron Dome missile defense systems and providing real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support to the UAE.

The meeting occurred amidst heightened Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and their effective control of the Bab al-Mandab strait. Israel is reportedly 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.