Israel’s move from being part of the area of operations for US European Command to US Central Command in 2021 has been important amid the long war in Gaza and the growing Iranian threats in the region. This is important to examine because it will have implications in the future.
One of the key moments that showcases how important Israel-CENTCOM ties have become was the defense against the Iranian attack on the evening of April 13-14. Several years of growing ties with US Central Command helped bring together the necessary assets to defend against Iranian drones and missiles. While Israel has impressive air defenses, such as the Arrow 3, and numerous squadrons of advanced warplanes, such as F-35s, US Central Command also has close ties to regional countries and access to squadrons of planes and air defenses in the region, including on ships.
Another aspect of being closely involved in talks with US Central Command is the way in which this links Israel to countries in the region. Israel has peace with Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UAE. These countries are also under CENTCOM.
When Israel was under European Command, the only regional power also under European Command was Turkey, because Turkey is in NATO.
But Israel was the odd man out because it was the only country clearly in the Levant that was part of “Europe” as opposed to a US regional command centered in the Middle East.
This was historical baggage from the Cold War era and a time when Israel didn’t have as many ties regionally. Today, there are some of the 21 countries in US Central Command that don’t have ties with Israel, such as Saudi Arabia or Qatar. Nevertheless, Central Command’s view of the region is a net benefit for everyone involved.
To give an example of how important this is, consider the recent trip by the head of CENTCOM. Gen. Michael Kurilla, the head of US Central Command, has been traveling in the region recently. He recently concluded a trip that included Qatar and Bahrain.
The role of Bahrain
In Bahrain, he discussed the regional security situation and the strong military relationship between the US and Bahrain, Central Command said in a statement on social media.
“It is particularly important for me to travel to the CENTCOM region during these times of increased regional tension,” Kurilla said. The trip that began on July 11 included visits to Jordan, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and Bahrain.
Having US commanders and their deputies and staff who are constantly on the move in the region, speaking with other nations, and conducting various joint exercises is important. There are key aspects of planning, interoperability, and multilateral structures that help to reduce the chances of conflict and also can help defend against threats, such as the Iranian attack on April 13-14.
WHEN HAMAS attacked Israel on October 7, it was a huge shock. The US decided to keep the carrier USS Gerald Ford and its strike group in the Mediterranean after the Hamas attack and move the ships to the Eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran and Hezbollah. This was in addition to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group, which also remained in the region.
This was an important development because within weeks of the Hamas attack, the Houthis began attacks targeting Eilat and then targeting shipping in the Red Sea. The carriers and their strike groups played a key role in securing the seas during this time and may have helped in deterring Iran and its proxies from further escalation.
The role of the US Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, is important in this context. It has helped prevent Iranian-backed proxies from blockading sea lanes. Israel has conducted drills with US Navcent, the naval component of Central Command.
“Forces from U.S. 5th Fleet completed a four-day exercise with Israel in the Gulf of Aqaba, May 11, that focused on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence integration into maritime operations,” Navcent said in May 2023. “The exercise, called Digital Shield, included members of US 5th Fleet’s unmanned systems and artificial intelligence task force, Task Force 59, as well as a MANTAS Devil Ray T-38 unmanned surface vessel. US forces trained alongside Israeli counterparts during maritime awareness and vessel boarding drills.”
In 2021, Vice-Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Naval Forces Central Command, visited Israel. It was his second visit since Israel moved to CENTCOM.
“Our commitment to Israel is unwavering, and this visit highlighted the importance of our decades-long strategic relationship,” Cooper said at the time. “The recent alignment of Israel to U.S. Central Command opens new opportunities to deepen our naval ties and enhance regional maritime security and stability.”
Partnership with Israel
R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari, who was the head of Naval Operations in the Israel Navy at the time, said: “Vice-Admiral Cooper is a friend and strategic partner to the Israel Navy. He and his team are deeply committed to the security of the State of Israel.”
After Hamas attacked Israel, the US also sent Marine Corps Lt.-Gen. James Glynn and two other officers to advise Israel regarding the possible challenges in Gaza. This was supposed to be advice gained from the US fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, where the US faced enemies embedded in urban areas.
MOST IMPORTANT for Israel-CENTCOM ties was the April 13-14 attack by Iran, which involved more than 300 drones and missiles. Iranian proxies in Yemen and Lebanon also carried out attacks on Israel. This was a major success in terms of Israel’s work with Central Command.
There have been other issues that came up during the war that don’t involve Central Command. Controversies such as the US pausing shipment of 2,000-pound bombs and 500-pound bombs were a feature of the war. The heavy bombs could be used to take out Hamas targets deep underground.
In another saga during the war, the US sent ships to construct a floating pier on the coast of Gaza. The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operation took a month and a half to prepare, with ships sailing from Virginia. The pier operated intermittently for only about two months before it was finally dismantled in July. In addition, there were airdrops in Gaza carried out by US C-130 airplanes.
The war in Gaza has been a showcase of how US-Israel relations, particularly military-to-military relations, are important. Central Command is a key component of this. Investment in these kinds of relationships is key to dealing with the growing Iranian threat and other threats in the region.
It can also lead to more joint work on air defenses and other important aspects of the security infrastructure of the region. The rising drone threats, such as the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv on July 19, illustrate how more work can be done to learn lessons from these emerging threats.
What comes next in Israel’s ties with US Central Command? One thing that is clear is that these ties are at an all-time high and continuing to grow. These ties transcend political issues that may affect Israel’s relations with some countries. The military-to-military ties have not been affected by the political issues that may come between countries.
Nevertheless, there are issues on the horizon. The US commitment to the region and to creating multilateral ties and joint training is important. Some countries in the region are hedging their bets or watching the rise of China and considering closer ties with BRICS, the SCO, and other economic groups tied to China or Russia. China’s hosting of Palestinian factions is an example of this.
US Central Command played a key role in the region over recent decades. This was an outgrowth of the Gulf War and the Global War on Terror. As the US shifts to focus on China and near-peer rivalries, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, however, there will be tensions about resources devoted to the Middle East.
The Hamas attack and the Iranian attack shows why the region is still very important for the US and global security. The US role in Iraq and Syria, for instance, is important in terms of keeping influence in areas such as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and blunting Iran’s march across the entire Middle East.