Top military officials from Israel, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt met behind closed doors in Germany to coordinate regional defense and discuss the ongoing war with Iran, according to reports published by Axios on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and corroborated by the news site Filisrael. Organized by CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper at an isolated ski resort, the high-level summit marks a notable diplomatic milestone as the first such gathering since a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran launched in February.
Secret German Summit Brings Together Regional Adversaries
The confidential conference brought together military leadership from nations that lack formal diplomatic ties, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel, as reported by Axios and Filisrael. CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed in a statement that the command hosted senior military officials from eight countries during a planned conference in Germany to explore opportunities for deepening security cooperation across the Middle East. During the closed sessions, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir briefed his counterparts on military operations across multiple fronts, according to Israeli officials cited by Axios. Filisrael noted that the summit offered a rare platform for direct military coordination between Israel and Gulf states amidst persistent regional escalation.
U.S. Military Commitments and Maritime Security Plans
During the meetings in Germany, Adm. Cooper assured regional commanders that American forces have no plans to pull out of the Middle East, despite ongoing Iranian attacks targeting U.S. bases, Axios reported. Furthermore, the CENTCOM commander outlined specific U.S. initiatives designed to increase maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for global energy commerce. These security assurances come as Washington and its regional partners seek to safeguard critical trade routes and counter persistent threats from Iranian-backed actors operating across the region.
Addressing the Houthi Threat in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Discussions in Germany also addressed escalating threats from the Houthi movement in Yemen, which has intensified attacks against Saudi Arabia and asserted control over the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, according to Filisrael. A source cited by Axios revealed that Israel and Saudi Arabia, with active facilitation from CENTCOM, examined potential avenues for Israeli assistance to Riyadh against advancing Houthi forces. While Israel Hayom reported that CENTCOM has been actively supervising these indirect contacts between Jerusalem and Riyadh, sources close to the discussions told Axios that an offensive military intervention by Israel remains unlikely.
Did you know? Following the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2020, Israel was officially transferred from the area of responsibility of the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) to CENTCOM, significantly expanding intelligence sharing and missile defense collaboration with nations like the United Arab Emirates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who attended the military summit in Germany?
According to Axios and Filisrael, the meeting included the chiefs of staff from Israel, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt, led by CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
What was the primary focus of the discussions?
The talks focused on the ongoing war with Iran, regional security cooperation, maintaining maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and countering Houthi attacks near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Are Israel and Saudi Arabia coordinating militarily?
Sources cited by Axios indicate that Israel and Saudi Arabia have discussed ways to address Houthi threats with the facilitation of CENTCOM, though an offensive military intervention by Israel is considered unlikely.
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