In a rare and significant meeting, Israel’s top general, Gen. Herzi Halevi, met with his counterparts from several Arab militaries in Bahrain earlier this week to discuss regional security cooperation. The low-profile meeting, facilitated by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), aimed to promote military dialogue and cooperation between Israel and Arab countries despite the latter’s public criticism and condemnation of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Senior generals from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt attended the meeting alongside U.S. Gen. Michel “Erik” Kurilla and Gen. Halevi. The meeting signals a continued commitment to regional security cooperation, building on recent successes in air and missile defense.

The meeting’s significance lies in the participation of senior military officials from countries that have historically had tense relations with Israel. The U.S. views the defeat of Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel on April 13 as a major achievement, made possible through regional cooperation and intelligence sharing. Jordan and Saudi Arabia played an active role in intercepting missiles and drones that passed through their airspace, highlighting the effectiveness of regional security cooperation.

The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the meeting, and CENTCOM has yet to respond to questions. However, the meeting underscores the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional security ties, even in the face of political sensitivities and public criticism.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)