A regional diplomat confirmed to i24NEWS that Israel and Saudi Arabia are holding talks through US Central Command (CENTCOM) to provide intelligence support to Riyadh against the Houthi threat. The diplomat noted that CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper recently visited Saudi Arabia for discussions with the crown prince and senior officials, with a source describing them as 'good discussions'.
A regional diplomat confirmed to i24NEWS that US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Admiral Brad Cooper recently visited Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and senior officials, as part of ongoing discussions to provide intelligence support to Riyadh against the Houthi threat. The diplomat described the talks as "good discussions," adding that the coordination is channeled through CENTCOM. The confirmation adds detail to earlier reports of Israeli-Saudi intelligence cooperation under the US umbrella.
The development follows a sequence of reports tracked by The Zioneer. On Monday, Sep 14, at 22:24 Jerusalem, diplomatic sources confirmed that Israel and Saudi Arabia are in contact via CENTCOM to provide intelligence support against the Houthis. Earlier today at 17:23 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published a bulletin citing those sources, affirming the talks. The latest confirmation provides a further layer of attribution and specifies the involvement of the CENTCOM chief.
The White House and the Pentagon have been deepening counter-Houthi coordination with Gulf allies. As The Zioneer reported on Jun 8, CENTCOM provided intelligence and air coordination for Israeli strikes and missile defense, contrary to earlier US reports. On Jul 1, The Zioneer noted that Adm. Cooper held talks in Israel and Lebanon on a Washington framework. On Sep 12, Saudi Arabia signaled a possible large-scale military operation against the Houthis, according to US officials. CENTCOM has served as the primary channel for Israeli-Saudi security cooperation in the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
The scope and timeline of any intelligence-sharing arrangement remain unclear. The diplomat did not specify whether Israeli personnel would be involved directly or exclusively through CENTCOM liaison. No formal agreement has been announced.
2 developments
- DevelopingSaudi crown prince meets US CENTCOM chief to coordinate on Houthi threat
- DevelopingReport: CENTCOM chief arrives in Lebanon to establish coordination mechanism with IDF
- StrongSaudi Arabia signals possible large-scale military operation against Houthis, US official says
- StrongSenior Saudi Official: Historic Opportunity for Cooperation with Israel Against Houthis
Source and signal
- Open-source intake