From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
IDF generals visit US CENTCOM headquarters in Florida
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
Two top Israel Defense Forces generals visit the United States Central Command’s headquarters in Florida to meet their American counterparts in both a signing of deepening ties between the two militaries as well as a tacit threat to Iran.
The head of IDF Operations, Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk, and the head of the Iran-focused Strategy and Third-Ring Directorate, Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman, both traveled to Tampa, Florida this week, along with Israel’s defense attaché in the US, Maj. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, and the head of the IDF’s international relations divisions, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.
The meeting comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US and Israel, as long-awaited nuclear talks resumed this week in Vienna.
“The commanders discussed operational cooperation in the region, discussed shared challenges facing the two militaries and deepened their operational preparedness and strategic discussions,” the IDF says in a statement.
Basyuk and Kelman are scheduled to hold a number of other meetings in the US in the coming days.
The Times of Israel Community.