IDF sends 1st representative to US CENTCOM, in change meant to help counter Iran

The Israel Defense Forces dispatched an officer to serve as its first representative to the United States Central Command this week, after Israel was moved under CENTCOM’s area of responsibility earlier this year, the military says.

A former fighter pilot, the officer, who can only be identified by his rank and first Hebrew initial, Maj. “Aleph,” will be stationed in CENTCOM’s headquarters in Tampa, Florida.

“As part of his position, he will be responsible for coordinating joint orders between the IDF and CENTCOM, in peace and wartime, strengthening operational cooperation and exchanging operational knowledge, among other things,” the IDF says.

After decades of working with the US military’s European Command, Israel was moved to CENTCOM this year, in a move that was meant to improve the IDF’s ability to work with the US and its allies in the Middle East to counter Iran.

“Through cooperation in training, intelligence and operational planning, we will continue to tackle current challenges, chief among them the Iranian threat. I have no doubt that the joint work with CENTCOM and Gulf countries will continue to lead Israel and its security to great achievements,” says IDF Maj. Gen. Tal Kalman.