Israeli Defence Minister Gantz makes surprise visit to Bahrain | Politics News

Benny Gantz will sign a memorandum of understanding with Bahraini leaders during the two-day visit, Israeli media reports say.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has arrived in Bahrain on an unannounced visit amid heightened tensions in the Gulf after missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

Israeli media reports said Gantz would sign a memorandum of understanding with Bahraini leaders during the two-day visit, but gave no details about the agreement.

In a statement, the Israeli Ministry of Defense said Gantz flew to Bahrain on Wednesday on an air force plane, adding that it was the first time an Israeli defence chief had visited the Gulf nation or that an Israeli military aircraft had landed there.

Bahrain and Gulf neighbour UAE normalised relations with Israel in 2020 in a United States-brokered deal known as the Abraham Accords that built on common commercial interests and worries about Iran. Sudan and Morocco followed suit.

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