Israeli Foreign Minister's Visit to Bahrain; U.S. Fifth Fleet Commander Meets with Eli Cohen

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Central Command and the Fifth Fleet, hosted Eli Cohen, the Israeli Foreign Minister, in Bahrain on Monday. The two discussed maritime security cooperation in the Middle East. In addition to Eli Cohen, Cooper hosted the U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain, the Israeli Ambassador to Bahrain, and several other senior officials. According to DVIDS, the Israeli Foreign Minister noted the 'confrontation with common challenges' and stated, 'Cooperation with Israel and Israel's participation in regional security are important outcomes of the Abraham Accords.' The Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE. These three countries view the activities of the Islamic Republic in the region, including attacks on commercial ships and support for militia groups, as a common threat. The Israeli Foreign Minister's visit came just days after the second anniversary of Israel's presence in the region under the U.S. Central Command, CENTCOM. The operational area of the U.S. Fifth Fleet covers about 2.5 million square miles of maritime area, including the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three key areas: the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.