A high-level U.S. defense delegation visited Israel last week, where they toured the northern border with Lebanon amid recent provocations by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.
Led by Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie, the previously unannounced four-day trip also included U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and other senior U.S. Department of Defense officials.
The Americans met with Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Col. (res.) Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Political-Military Director Brig. Gen. (res.) Dror Shalom, Head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate Col. Aharon Haliva and other senior Israeli defense officials.
“The conversation dealt with security and intelligence issues and unique challenges shared by Israel and the U.S., led by the Iranian effort to destabilize the region,” the Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“The American delegation toured the northern border and received an overview of the unique challenges posed by the Hezbollah threat along the Israel-Lebanon border,” according to the statement.
During the trip, the delegation also visited several IDF Intelligence Corps bases, toured the Israeli Defense Ministry’s National Hall for Israel’s Fallen at Mount Herzl and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Moultrie laid wreaths at Mount Herzl and at Yad Vashem.
In meeting between Moultrie and Zamir, the two leaders “reaffirmed the ironclad defense and intelligence partnership between the U.S. and Israel,” according to a U.S. Department of Defense readout of the visit.
“Under Secretary Moultrie thanked his Israeli hosts and reaffirmed our shared commitment to countering all destabilizing activities that threaten regional security and our mutual interest in strengthening the defense and intelligence partnership.”