IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi visited the US Navy’s 5th fleet on Thursday, during his first trip to Bahrain.
Kohavi was briefed on the 5th fleet's intelligence and operational activities by Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper.
The two spoke on the continued cooperation between the IDF and the 5th fleet, whose area of operations encompasses some 2.5 million square miles and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb.
Cooper and the chief of staff agreed on the necessary steps that need to be taken to ensure security and stability in the region.
"Our ongoing work alongside the 5th fleet is of significant and valuable importance," Kohavi said in an address to a guard of honor held for his arrival.
Later on Thursday, Kohavi met with several Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) generals, including chief of staff Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi and commander-in-chief Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.
In the meeting, Al Khalifa and Kohavi discussed the regional challenges shared by Israel and Bahrain and the opportunities to increase cooperation between the two militaries.
"Over the last year, we have built a network of international strategic cooperations with many Middle East nations for the benefit of everyone's security," Kohavi said.
"That network strengthens our strategic advantage over the different threats in the region."
The chief of staff's visit to Bahrain is a "significant step" and a "golden opportunity" to expand on the work done in many areas, Kohavi added.