The IDF denied a report that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir was forced to apologize to CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper over remarks by Defense Minister Israel Katz. The military said the claim is false and no such call took place. Channel 14 journalist Noam Amir reported the denial, citing IDF sources.
The IDF has explicitly labeled as 'fake' a report that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir was forced to apologize to CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper over remarks by Defense Minister Israel Katz, and denied that any such call occurred. The denial was reported Wednesday by Channel 14 journalist Noam Amir, citing IDF sources.
The claim first surfaced Wednesday, when the Saudi outlet al-Hadath reported that an IDF official said Katz's disclosure of US aircraft operating from Israel to strike Iran angered CENTCOM and forced Zamir to apologize. Al-Arabiya later reported Wednesday that CENTCOM was angered by the disclosure. The IDF initially denied the apology call through a military source, and an Israeli military official formally denied the report to al-Hadath, as The Zioneer reported at 14:44 Jerusalem time. The new denial from Channel 14 marks the strongest rejection yet, with the IDF using the term 'fake.'
The Zioneer has previously reported on the delicate nature of US-Israel military coordination, including CENTCOM's role in providing intelligence and air coordination for Israeli operations. An Eye on Zion analysis from Wednesday noted internal friction within the security establishment following the Katz disclosure.
The IDF has not commented on the substance of the al-Hadath report that Katz disclosed sensitive information. The source of the initial report remains unclear, and no further details have been provided by the military. The incident underscores the high sensitivity surrounding operational coordination between Jerusalem and Washington.
6 developments
- DevelopingKatz's disclosure of US strikes on Iran from Israeli bases ignites censorship row, CENTCOM friction
- DevelopingIsrael Defense Minister's bureau releases transcript to rebut reports of attack on Netanyahu, Trump
- StrongCENTCOM Commander holds talks in Israel and Lebanon on Washington framework; Katz says no withdrawal without Hezbollah disarmament
- DevelopingAnalysis: IDF chief should hold first press conference to amplify personnel crisis warnings
Source and signal
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