Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday held a “productive” meeting with United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla at the Ministry’s HQ in Tel Aviv. The parties agreed to maintain an ongoing dialogue.
CENTCOM is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the US Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, replacing the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force. Its Area of Responsibility AOR includes the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
Kurilla, 57, is the 15th commander of the Central Command since April 1, 2022. He has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, and was awarded a Bronze Star after a battle in Mosul in which he “was shot three times but continued to fire back at insurgents while directing his troops.”
According to an MOD press release, Minister Gallant highlighted the unique and powerful bond between the United States and Israel and the importance of further deepening defense and technological cooperation between the respective defense establishments. He also expressed his appreciation to the General for his personal contribution to ensuring and further strengthening the ties between their two countries.
Gallant reflected on the great value that the CENTCOM framework provides to bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation in the Middle East, contributing directly to regional security and stability. He expressed his commitment to ensuring ongoing dialogue, further expanding cooperation, and deepening the level of exchanges in the face of Iranian and proxy attacks on sovereign nations, and attempts to destabilize the region.
