IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held a clandestine meeting in Germany last week with the military commanders of several Arab states, according to a report Tuesday evening. The summit, organized by U.S. Central Command, focused on the war with Iran and the escalating confrontation with the Houthis.
According to Channel 12 News, Zamir met with the chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt at an undisclosed location to discuss coordinated responses to Iranian aggression and Houthi attacks, citing two senior Israeli officials.
The closed-door gathering was arranged by Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and was not officially announced by any of the participating nations.
According to the report, Admiral Cooper made clear to his regional counterparts that the U.S. military has no intention of withdrawing forces from the Middle East despite Iranian attacks on American bases. He also briefed the assembled commanders on American plans to expand shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Israeli official said that Chief of Staff Zamir briefed the other participants on IDF operations across multiple fronts.
