The top defense leaders met at the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMoD) headquarters in Tel Aviv.
By Erin Viner
Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael Kurilla held “a productive discussion,” according to an IMoD statement obtained by TV7.
Both leaders emphasized the unique and powerful bond between their nations, as well as the importance of further deepening defense and technological cooperation between the respective defense establishments.
The newly sworn in Israeli Defense Chief emphasized “the great value that the CENTCOM framework provides to bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation in the Middle East, contributing directly to regional security and stability,” said the statement.
Minister Gallant expressed Israel’s commitment to furthering expanding ties with CENTCOM amid ongoing attacks by Iran and its terrorist proxies on sovereign nations – such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah against Israel or the Houthi movement in Yemen on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – as part of the Islamic Republic’s efforts to destabilize the region.
He also thanked General Kurilla for his “personal contribution to ensuring and further strengthening ties” with Israel.
Both sides agreed to maintain ongoing dialogue.
Israel was ‘repositioned’ to CENTCOM (from EUCOM [European Command], which now concentrates on Russia and its threats against Europe and NATO).