Israel’s Netanyahu, top US military discuss Iranian threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, on Friday to discuss regional threats, especially Iranian aggression.

They also “discussed the ongoing military cooperation between the two countries and the opportunities that currently lie in the region,” Ofir Gendelman, the premier’s spokesperson, told the Arab media.

Netanyahu thanked Milley for the military cooperation, which has deepened in recent years, and expressed his desire to continue to deepen it, Gendelman added in a tweet.

Earlier on Friday, Netanyahu held a video conference with Milley, who is currently on a two-day visit to Israel.

The top army official said “on behalf of the entire US military, we thank Israel for their strong commitment to our partnership.”

Milley is on a whirlwind world tour, visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Afghanistan to discuss the threats from Iran.

On Friday he met Defense Minister Benny Gantz, where they stressed the importance of continued pressure on the Iranian regime to halt its nuclear program.

“During the meeting, they (also) discussed the challenges and different changes in the operational situation in the Middle East,” the defense minister’s office said.

During his visit, Milley also met the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi and other defense and military officials.