CENTCOM commander meets with top officials in Israel

U.S. Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Israel from Feb. 5-7 to meet with top Israeli military and security officials, CENTCOM stated on Friday.

There, he reiterated “the ironclad military-to-military relationship between the U.S. and Israel,” according to the U.S. military.

Kurilla met with Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the outgoing Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces; Ronan Bar, director of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet); Mossad director David Barnea; and Israeli Air Force Cmdr. Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar; and other key IDF staff, per CENTCOM.

The leaders discussed Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and other regional threats, including Iran and Syria, according to the U.S. readout.

Kurilla and Halevi discussed “deepening the enduring military partnership” between America and Israel, and “interoperability and capabilities” between the armed forces of the nations, per the readout.

Kurilla also visited the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile-defense system battery the United States provided to Israel in 2024.

The IDF said he also spoke with “senior IDF officers, focusing on addressing threats in the Middle East through military cooperation.”

“Additionally, they discussed various possible scenarios on both near and distant fronts,” the Israeli military stated. “The IDF considers its relationship and cooperation with the U.S. military to be of great importance and significance and will continue to strengthen it.”

Brad Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, posted on X: “Good to see this visit to Israel by Gen. Kurilla.”

He added: “Much to discuss. Let’s hope planning is underway for a Juniper Oak 2025 that is bigger and better than the 2023 iteration. The new iteration should rehearse as realistically as possible a combined U.S.-Israel strike on Iran’s nuclear program. Should include B-2s.”

That, he wrote, “will make Tehran think twice about sprinting to a bomb and ensure we are ready for the worst if the regime makes a bad decision.”

AIPAC said in response to the meeting that “America’s partnership with Israel helps keep both countries stronger and safer.”