In first trip abroad since becoming military head last month, Herzi Halevi attends regional security conference held under auspices of US Central Command
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (second from L) at a regoinal security conference in Bahrain on February 6, 2023. (Akhbar Al Khaleej)
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi paid a secret visit to Bahrain this week to attend a regional security conference.
The trip flew under the media’s radar until the Walla news site spotted Halevi in a picture from the conference in the Tuesday edition of the Akhbar Al Khaleej newspaper.
The conference was held under the auspices of the US Central Command, with the head of the US Army’s Central Command Erik Kurilla also in attendance.
The IDF on Thursday confirmed the trip, noting that Halevi had since returned.
This was Halevi’s first trip abroad since becoming IDF chief of staff last month.
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His predecessor Aviv Kohavi visited Bahrain a year ago and met with senior security officials in the Gulf country.
Incoming IDF chief Herzi Halevi (left), meets with the outgoing head Aviv Kohavi at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, January 16, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)
The trip focused on building bilateral security ties and boosting cooperation against Iran.
Kohavi also reportedly met his Qatari counterpart during the visit, despite limited relations between the countries. The Saudi-owned Elaph news site said the two discussed the possibility of Qatar joining a regional alliance against Iran’s aggression, specifically regarding the threat of UAVs.
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