Netanyahu, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Discuss Iranian Threats

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Dec. 18, 2020. Twitter
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Dec. 18, 2020. Twitter
TT

Netanyahu, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Discuss Iranian Threats

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Dec. 18, 2020. Twitter
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Dec. 18, 2020. Twitter

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz have discussed with visiting Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley Iran’s threat in the region.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said Friday the PM also discussed with Milley regional threats and military cooperation between Israel and the US.

Netanyahu thanked the US General for the military cooperation between the two countries, which has expanded in recent years, and expressed hope that such coordination would continue.

This is Netanyahu’s second meeting with a senior US security official this week.

Last Sunday, the Israeli PM met with US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien.

Before meeting O'Brien, Netanyahu said "the United States and Israel are working closely together more than ever."

Gantz said the army is ready for any eventuality in the face of the Iranian threat in the region, calling on the US military to remain in the Middle East.

During Friday's talks, which focused on "the Iranian threat to the region," Gantz said pressure on the Tehran regime must be continued.

"During the meeting, we discussed various challenges and changes in the Middle East,” a statement from his office said.

The Israeli Defense Minister called for continued pressure on the Iranian regime.

"It is important to maintain the US military presence in the Middle East, which is a key element for stability in the region," he said, addressing the US Chief of Staff, who arrived in Israel on Thursday on a two-day visit.

He met with the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Aviv Kochavi, and a number of officers, to discuss joint cooperation, amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran in the wake of the assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh last month.



Two Dead in Attacks on Either Side of Ukraine-Russia Border

A handout photo made available by the State Emergency Service shows a damaged private building following a drone attack in Kyiv's area, Ukraine, 03 January 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the State Emergency Service shows a damaged private building following a drone attack in Kyiv's area, Ukraine, 03 January 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE HANDOUT
TT

Two Dead in Attacks on Either Side of Ukraine-Russia Border

A handout photo made available by the State Emergency Service shows a damaged private building following a drone attack in Kyiv's area, Ukraine, 03 January 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the State Emergency Service shows a damaged private building following a drone attack in Kyiv's area, Ukraine, 03 January 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE HANDOUT

Attacks on both sides of the Ukraine-Russia border killed two people on Friday, local officials said.
Three missiles hit a residential area near the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, killing one person, injuring four and destroying two houses, they said. A picture posted by the regional governor showed the shattered facade of a private home.
In southern Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces hold swathes of territory five months after a mass incursion, a man walking down a road was killed in a drone strike, Reuters quoted the regional governor as saying.
The Ukrainian military said on Thursday it had carried out a high-precision strike on a Russian command post in Kursk region. Russia's military said it had downed four Ukrainian missiles.
Russia says it has recaptured much of the territory seized by Ukrainian forces after they poured over the border into Kursk region in August.