WASHINGTON, Dec 14: The head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, has visited Israel to hold a meeting with Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and other defence officials, CENTCOM said on Saturday.
“On Dec. 11-13, Gen. Kurilla visited Israel at the invitation of LTG Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). In addition to meeting with LTG Halevi and his staff, Gen. Kurilla met with the Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz, Maj Gen Ori Gordin, the Commander of the IDF’s Northern Command, and Maj Gen Tomar Bar, the Israeli Air Force Commander,” the central command said on X.
The discussions focused on the regional security issues, including the ongoing situation in Syria, and preparedness against other strategic and regional threats, the statement said.
Kurilla visited Northern Command headquarters “to gain a deeper understanding” of the current situation in Lebanon and ongoing efforts toward a lasting cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, the statement added.
Israel’s security cabinet approved a US-brokered ceasefire with Lebanese movement Hezbollah in late November. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the truce was needed to focus on the alleged Iranian threat and isolate Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He emphasised that Israel would resume hostilities if Hezbollah violated the deal.
Syria’s armed opposition captured the Syrian capital of Damascus on December 8. Russian officials have said that Syrian President Bashar Assad stepped down as president after holding negotiations with participants of the Syrian conflict and left Syria for Russia, where he was granted asylum.
Mohammed al-Bashir, who ran an Idlib-based administration formed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other opposition groups, was named interim prime minister on December 10. He announced later that the interim government had been formed and would remain in place until March 2025.
(UNI)
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