Israel, Arab states step up security coordination against Iran: reports

Israel has reportedly stepped up security coordination with several Arab states as it prepares for the possibility of renewed war with Iran, Israeli media reported on Monday, as the United States reinforces its military presence in the region despite a current lull in fighting between Washington and Tehran.

Israel's public broadcaster Kan, citing an Israeli official, reported that contacts between Israel and several countries in the region were "ongoing and continuously expanding" as part of expanded security cooperation. The official did not identify the countries involved.

According to the same source, the United States has recently reinforced its military infrastructure in the Middle East by deploying additional combat assets and defence systems used by Washington and its regional partners, including Israel, as part of preparations for any potential escalation with Tehran.

Kan said the coordination was aimed at preparing for the possibility of renewed US military action against Iran and expanding cooperation between Israel and its regional partners.

It said that Israel's security establishment was examining options for expanding military operations against Iran, which would not be limited to targeting facilities linked to Tehran's nuclear programme, but also include energy infrastructure and oil refineries.

The report comes after Iran said it had suspended retaliatory attacks against US allies in the region, while US officials indicated President Donald Trump was leaving room for negotiations even as American forces remained on heightened alert.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to push Trump towards a more confrontational approach to Iran during talks in Washington on Tuesday.

Separately, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa held a telephone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, and recent regional developments.

According to a statement from the Israeli presidency, the two leaders stressed the importance of the controversial Abraham Accords as a framework for allegedly promoting security, stability and prosperity in the region, and highlighted the importance of continued cooperation among regional countries.

During the latest round of fighting, which began on 2 March, Iran repeatedly said its missile and drone campaign against Gulf states targeted US military facilities and other sites it alleged were supporting US and Israeli operations, including locations linked to US and Israeli intelligence activities in countries hosting American bases such as Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE.

Israel has maintained increasingly close security ties with several Gulf states since the signing of the US-sponsored Abraham Accords in 2020. This includes expanded intelligence and security cooperation between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mossad chief David Barnea had made at least two undisclosed visits to the UAE during the war with Iran to coordinate security and intelligence matters, while Shin Bet chief David Zini also reportedly travelled to Abu Dhabi to deepen cooperation between the two countries' intelligence services. Neither government publicly confirmed the visits.

The reports said Israel and the UAE coordinated on intelligence sharing, missile and drone interception and broader defensive efforts during the conflict, reflecting a growing but largely undisclosed security relationship between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia has also remained central to regional diplomatic efforts, although Riyadh has repeatedly maintained that it would not normalise relations with Israel without a political process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Last week, President Trump publicly linked the implementation of a new US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement to Saudi recognition of Israel. However, Axios reported there was no indication that the text of the nuclear agreement itself made normalisation with Israel a condition.