The militaries of Israel and Germany signed a cooperation agreement on Friday aimed at expanding collaboration, in what the Israel Defense Forces described as a “major milestone” in the strategic partnership between the nations.
The agreement was finalized at the conclusion of a visit by German Army Commander Lt. Gen. Christian Freuding, who was hosted by Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, head of the IDF Ground Forces.
“Together, we stand ready to confront shared challenges and deepen our military cooperation for the future,” the IDF said.
🇮🇱🤝🇩🇪 Deepening Military Ties: Commander of the German Army concludes his visit to Israel
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 20, 2026
The Commander of the German Army, LTG Christian Freuding, concluded a visit to Israel, hosted by MG Nadav Lotan, Commander of the IDF Ground Forces. For the first time, the two signed a… pic.twitter.com/9hrTBBhHiC
On Jan. 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tied Iran’s “threat to regional stability and regional security” to the signing of a new defense pact with Germany, including on cybersecurity.
“Iran and its proxies—Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis—threaten not only Israel but regional stability and international security,” Netanyahu said after signing a declaration of cooperation in Jerusalem alongside German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.
The declaration “anchors a robust cooperation with Germany in cybersecurity, the fight in terrorism and advanced technologies, and it is translated into a security commitment to joint action,” Netanyahu said at the signing ceremony.
Dobrindt said the declaration is rooted in “Germany’s deep commitment to Israel’s security” and brings the level of cooperation between the countries to “a new strategic level.” It reflects “Germany’s historic responsibility, including strengthening the memory of the Holocaust and cooperating with Yad Vashem,” he added.
On Dec. 3, Israel handed over to Germany an operational Arrow 3 air-defense system, which is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere with exceptional long-range interception capabilities. It has made hundreds of successful interceptions since the outbreak of the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah and Iran.
It was the first operational delivery under the landmark defense agreement signed on Sept. 28, 2023. With an estimated value of $3.5 billion, the deal was the largest of its kind in Israel’s history.
