CENTCOM commander convened last week's gathering in Germany; Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar among attendees

US reaffirms commitment to keeping troops in region; outlines plan to expand Strait of Hormuz ship traffic

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper [AP]
US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper [AP]

Military chiefs from the United States, Israel and several Arab nations held a secret meeting in Germany last week to discuss the war with Iran and the broader security situation across the Middle East, according to reports.

CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper, who oversees US military operations in the Middle East, convened the gathering, according to Axios, which reported the meeting Tuesday (local time).

The chiefs of staff or most senior military commanders from Israel and eight Arab countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt — attended the talks.

Similar meetings have been held in the past, Axios said, but this was the first time the military chiefs of those nations had gathered in one place since the war with Iran began in February.

Cooper reaffirmed to attendees that the United States would not withdraw its forces from the region, even as Iran continues to attack US military bases in the Middle East, according to the report.

He also outlined US plans to expand vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has recently stepped up its military and diplomatic efforts to restore normal maritime traffic through the strait.

Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir briefed participants on ongoing IDF operations across multiple fronts, an Israeli official told Axios.

None of the participating countries officially announced the meeting. CENTCOM said only that it had "invited senior military leaders from eight nations to a scheduled meeting in Germany" and that "the leaders discussed ways to strengthen security cooperation in the Middle East region."

Axios described the gathering as a rare opportunity for military commanders from some Arab countries that do not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel to meet and exchange views directly with the Israeli side.

Israel has expanded security cooperation with other Arab nations in the region since normalizing ties with the UAE and Bahrain through the Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States in September 2020.

Israel's security cooperation with Arab states has deepened particularly since it was transferred from the jurisdiction of US European Command to CENTCOM. That shift allowed Israel to participate in regional security frameworks, including in the areas of air and missile defense.

In practice, Israel has been working with the UAE during the war with Iran. Israeli officials said their country deployed Iron Dome air defense batteries to the UAE, sent operating personnel and provided real-time support in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Intelligence sharing between Israel and Arab nations in the region has also increased as the war has continued, according to reports.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com