Israeli defence minister makes unannounced visit to Bahrain

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz began an unannounced visit on Wednesday to Bahrain amid heightened tensions in the Gulf after missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates 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 Defence Ministry said Gantz flew to Bahrain on an Israeli 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 United Arab Emirates normalised relations with Israel in 2020 in a US-brokered deal known as the Abraham Accords that built on common commercial interests and worries about Iran. Sudan and Morocco followed suit.