Israeli prime minister makes historic visit to Bahrain, seeking to fortify Gulf coalition against Iran

Bennett’s visit to the tiny, oil-rich country comes as Israel and the Gulf states advance security collaborations — and as a shadow war between Israel and Iran, with a series of tit-for-tat attacks on commercial vessels at sea, becomes increasingly public.

“In this turbulent era, it is important that our region in particular sends a message of cooperation and goodwill and standing against threats together,” Bennett told reporters before flying to Bahrain Monday.

Since the signing of the Abraham Accords that normalized ties in 2020, announcements of once-clandestine security relations between Israel and the Gulf Arab states have accelerated, said Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He added that these included “gateway” countries such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which are widely viewed as mediators between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“There has always been a coalition against Iran, but now these Arab and Muslim countries are also more willing to be seen with Israelis in uniform,” Freeman said. “This increased cooperation with Israel is a result of a green light that countries like Bahrain are getting from their neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia.”

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Bahrain’s foreign ministry said in a statement Saturday that an Israeli officer will be stationed in the country as a representative of a multinational coalition dedicated, in part, to securing freedom of navigation in regional waters, protecting international trade and confronting piracy and terrorism, according to the state news agency.

Earlier this month, Israeli and Bahraini defense ministers signed an agreement “which will contribute to the stability of the region,” said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz. His visit, made possible by a flight over Saudi airspace, coincided with a U.S.-led naval exercise involving some 60 nations, including Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Last fall, navies from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates conducted their first joint military exercise with Israeli warships, in a five-day drill on the Red Sea that was coordinated by the U.S. Navy.