Source: United States Navy
The delegation was joined by Brett McGurk, U.S. National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, as well as other officials.
During the visit, the group met with Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, to discuss maritime security and future opportunities for regional cooperation.
Last fall, the United States military realigned Israel from the European Command area of responsibility to its Central Command operating area, enhancing bilateral maritime security cooperation particularly in the Red Sea.
Following the discussion with Cooper, the delegation met with members of Task Force 59, a unit established last year to integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence across U.S. 5th Fleet. The task force briefed delegation members on recent collaborations with private industry, academia and regional partners to improve visibility above, on and below the sea.
The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.