General Milli discussed Iran-related issues in Israel

General Mark Milley, Chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Israel on Friday to discuss the need for cooperation in Jerusalem to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Milley made the surprise visit ahead of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to Israel, which will also visit Egypt and Jordan, US allies in the Middle East that influence Israeli-Palestinian relations.
“Continued cooperation is necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a meeting with General Milli.
Milli has made no public statement in Israel. His spokesman said the general had discussed regional security issues and “coordinating actions to protect against threats posed by Iran” during talks with Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. -General Herzi Halevi.
Amid lengthy negotiations to extend the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Western powers believe Iran has made progress in developing technologies that could enable it to make a bomb. Tehran denies having such a plan.
In January, the US and Israel staged what a Pentagon official called the largest joint allied military exercise to date, involving thousands of troops, a dozen ships and 142 aircraft, including bombers nuclear warhead.
Millie’s trip also comes amid rising violence in the West Bank. Escalating fears ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover have prompted the United States, Jordan and Egypt to urge calm on both sides.
At least 62 Palestinians, including activists and civilians, have been killed since early 2023, the Palestinian health ministry said. According to official Israeli data, during the same period, 13 Israelis and one Ukrainian tourist were killed in Palestinian attacks.