Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth overnight, telling him they agreed to maintain cooperation in the face of any possible developments, according to i24NEWS.
Overnight, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a report cited by i24NEWS. Katz said the two agreed to maintain cooperation against any possible developments. This confirmation from i24NEWS aligns with the Defense Ministry's earlier account of the call, which was detailed in a series of updates at 08:36 Jerusalem.
At 08:36 Jerusalem, the Defense Ministry first reported that Katz and Hegseth had spoken overnight, with Hegseth briefing Katz on US military operations in Iran and Katz reiterating Israel's commitment to remain in security zones in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon. The thread evolved rapidly: an initial report from N12 journalist Nitzan Shapira at the same time confirmed a meeting, and subsequent versions added that Katz briefed Hegseth on Israeli operations against jihadist terror and that the two agreed to continue cooperation. The i24NEWS report, published shortly after, independently corroborates the agreement.
The call is part of ongoing high-level dialogue between Israel and the US amid American military operations against Iran, as The Zioneer reported earlier this week. This context was also noted in a background item from Mon Jun 15, which reported a previous call between the two defense chiefs. Additionally, Katz held a working meeting with IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Omer Tishler on operational readiness, as reported on Mon Jul 6.
No additional details were provided on the scope of the agreed cooperation or any specific operational understandings reached during the call.
6 developments
- StrongKatz: IDF will stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely, rejects withdrawal pressure
- StrongKatz: Netanyahu told Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones
- StrongDefense Minister Katz to Trump: Israel did not ask permission to enter Lebanon, will not need it to stay
- StrongDefense Minister Katz speaks with US counterpart Hegseth
Source and signal
- Internal intake