Bahrain confirms posting of Israeli officer to kingdom

Foreign ministry says officer's role is related to work of an international coalition securing the region

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz shakes hands with Bahrain Defence Force commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in Manama on February 3. Israel Defence Ministry / AShow more

Bahrain confirmed on Saturday an Israeli officer will be stationed in the country.

The officer’s posting is related to the work of an international coalition of more than 34 countries, Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

The ministry said the coalition, which it did not name, was tasked with securing freedom of navigation in the territorial waters of the region, protecting international trade and confronting piracy and terrorism.

The ministry’s statement followed media reports that Israel would send a naval officer to an official posting in Bahrain, the first time an Israeli military officer has been posted to an Arab country.

Bahrain and Israel signed a security co-operation agreement during a visit to the kingdom by Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz on February 3.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said the pact "will support any future co-operation in the areas of intelligence, mil-to-mil (military to military), industrial collaboration and more".

Bahrain hosts the Fifth Fleet's headquarters as well as some operations for Centcom, the US military co-ordination umbrella organisation for the Middle East that Israel joined last year.

Bahrain, along with the UAE, established ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords.