CENTCOM commander meets with Israeli officials in strong show of ‘support for Israel,’ defense chief says
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The commander of U.S. Central Command met with Israeli officials Monday as tensions in the region are heightened amid the belief Iran will soon attack Israel, or that the Jewish state may preemptively strike against Iran, either of which could ignite a wider regional conflict.
Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla met with the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi of the Israel Defense Forces in Tel Aviv.
“Your arrival in Israel at this time is a direct translation of U.S. support for Israel, into action,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. “The relationship between Israel and the United States is unshakable.”
BIDEN TO MEET WITH NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AHEAD OF ANTICIPATED IRANIAN ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL
During their meeting, Kurilla and Halevi discussed the coordination of defense cooperation between U.S. and Israeli forces. They also held a joint situational assessment on security and strategic issues, the IDF said.
Gallant also thanked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Biden administration for military aid and support as Israeli forces continue to battle Hamas and Hezbollah on two fronts.
Monday’s meeting came as officials are bracing for a possible Israeli strike on Iran as Israel stares down threats from all of its borders. Meanwhile, U.S. forces in the Mediterranean Sea have conducted air strikes against drones and other targets operated by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis for months.
Concerns over Israeli security have mounted following last week’s assassination of Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iran and Hamas have blamed the Jewish state and have vowed to retaliate.
BIDEN TO MEET WITH NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AHEAD OF ANTICIPATED IRANIAN ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL
Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said Monday that Iran has “the intrinsic right to provide for its own security and punish the aggressor,” and “will definitely take serious deterrent action with power and decisiveness.” He said it would be acting in accordance with international law and the right of self-defense.
The Biden administration is urging nations to tell Iran “that it is very much not in their interests to escalate this conflict,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday.
“So certainly I would expect that some of them would pass that message along and impress that point upon the government of Iran,” Miller said. “But I’ll let them, each individual country, speak to their particular conversations.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Qatar Prime Minister Al-Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdullah about tensions in the Middle East, Miller said. Biden also spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan, stressing the need for de-escalation in the region and thanked him for his efforts to achieve peace and stability.
“The King called for ceasing all escalatory measures, as well as respecting and implementing international law according to unified standards,” a readout of the call released by the Jordanians states. “His Majesty warned of extremist settler violence against Palestinians, as well as unilateral Israeli measures that undermine the prospects of peace and target the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, which may fuel violence in the region.”
Abdullah also said the U.S. was key in stopping the war in Gaza and reaching a permanent ceasefire.
Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.