Top US, Israeli generals meet amid buildup near Iran
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — The Pentagon seal is seen behind the briefing room at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., Han. 8, 2020. (REUTERS/Al Drago)
Feb 1 - The top U.S. and Israeli generals held talks at the Pentagon on Friday amid soaring tensions with Iran, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials did not offer details about the closed-door discussions between U.S. General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Eyal Zamir, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff. The meeting has not been previously reported.
The United States has ramped up its naval presence and hiked its air defences in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran, trying to pressure it to the negotiating table. Iran's leadership warned on Sunday of a regional conflict if the U.S. were to attack it.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Sunday met with Zamir after his talks in Washington, Katz's office said, to review the situation in the region and the Israeli military's "operational readiness for any possible scenario."
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Hugh Lawson // REUTERS))
